Regarding Tanith/Ben, it talks about a medical reason. Maybe the same one K/N got?
And about neither of Linichuk's teams getting on the Worlds podium, the key phrase you used is if there are no politics. I don't think the Linichuk politiking is working for Tanith/Ben, but it sure is working for Domnina/Shabalin, who manages to place over cleaner teams with more interesting choreography (I'm talking about both D/W and F/S here) with slow and sloppy skating, just imagine what they can do if they are slightly cleaner. I think although they won't place first, they're a lock for the podium judging by the score inflation.
Regarding B/A and D/S's programs this year, I think they will both do better if they swapped programs. I actually ilke B/A's program this year. They aren't exactly dramatic skaters by nature IMO, but they can pull off dramatic programs fine, like this one and last year's Chopin. I do like their Chopin FD more though.
I think Linichuk's strategy is "dramatic = good scores", but it doesn't fit B/A or D/S IMO. Especially in choosing Spartacus for D/S, the music cut repeat the main theme for a gazillion times, so it's more annoyingly loud and bombastic than dramatic.