Month: April 2025

Tony Blair’s intervention into the Net Zero debate suggesting present policies were wrong has put the cat amongst the pigeons before he did a sharp about turn. He had warned that energy secretary Ed Miliband’s eco policies and their push towards renewable energy were wrong. He claimed voters  “feel they’re being asked to make financial sacrifices and changes in lifestyle when they know the impact of global emissions is minimal”.

He called for more investment in carbon capture, to allow fossil fuels to continue to be used, a greater use of technology including artificial intelligence, and a rollout of nuclear power. The environment secretary Steve Reed admitted that the criticisms of net zero policies were “valid and important”.

 At present the largest greenhouse gas emitters (China, the USA, India, the EU, the Russian Federation, Brazil) account for 63 per cent of global emissions in 2023. By contrast, the 45 least developed countries accounted for only 3 per cent. The G20, the world’s largest 20 economies (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the Um, the USA and the EU) are responsible for about 77 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

To avert the worst impacts of climate change, global temperature increase needs to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Currently, the Earth is already about 1.2°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s, and emissions continue to rise. Emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

At the moment commitments made by governments fall far short of what is required to reach the 2050 target.

 The Paris Climate Change Net Zero agreement, signed on 22 April 2016, has fittingly an earthy Taurus Sun. Mercury is also in Taurus in a get-it-together Grand Trine to Jupiter in Virgo trine Pluto though unfortunately that is formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition Neptune suggesting an overly optimistic approach. The Jupiter opposition Neptune squares onto a tricky Mars Saturn in Sagittarius which adds to a tendency to attract running setbacks and major obstacles.

 By 2050 tr Neptune will be nearing the end of Taurus with Uranus in the final decan of Virgo with Pluto just into Pisces. The Solar Arc Saturn will be conjunct the Paris Pluto, tr Pluto square the Mars; tr Neptune conjunct the SA Uranus and tr Uranus conjunct the North Node – stuck, frustrated, anxious and a key turning point. Not that it will wait till 2050 to be obvious since much will transpire before then.

 Tony Blair, 6 May 1953 6.10 am Edinburgh, Scotland, has struggled to remain relevant in the UK after the Iraq debacle, despite setting up various seemingly influential organisations with a global outreach – Tony Blair Associates, Faith Foundation, Sports Foundation and Tony Blair Institute.  

  At the moment he is struggling to break free of past constraints and with tr Uranus moving across his Jupiter this June and thence onto his Mars and Ascendant in 2026 and beyond he will be stepping out ever more boldly keen to show his independence no matter how many feathers he ruffles. At the same time he looks aggravated with his Progressed Mars square his Neptune exactly now and square his Saturn in 2026/27 – which may be connected to his irritation about how the Labour Government is handling matters. His relationship with Keir Starmer, never easy at the best of times with an impatient composite Moon Saturn opposition Mars is moving into stormy seas as tr Uranus square the composite Pluto from this July into 2026 and tr Pluto continues to square the composite Neptune until this December.

 Ed Milliband, in charge of Net Zero, 24 December 1969 2pm London, is not looking upbeat ahead with tr Neptune square his Capricorn Sun from early this June into 2026 where tr Saturn joins in to square his Sun; tr Pluto is square his Saturn for a discouraging slog through this year; with more woes in 2026/27. Not going according to his plan.

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Joe Nickell “the world’s only full-time professional paranormal investigator” has died. He studied weeping statues, ghosts, poltergeists, crop circles, flying saucers, Elvis sightings, the Loch Ness myth and the Turin Shroud. For almost all he found there were logical or scientific explanations or they were hoaxes.

 Born 1 December 1944 11.30pm Lexington, Wisconsin, he took an English degree, joined the civil rights struggle, and fled to Canada when he was drafted for Vietnam, earning a living as a magician in Toronto, a private investigator, a blackjack dealer and gold prospector. Once pardoned as a draft dodger he took a PhD in literary mysteries. Eventually he was invited to start writing for Skeptical Inquirer and appeared on many TV shows. He set out to explain rather than debunk, and always sought to keep an open mind. “I urge sceptics … not to be as closed-minded as the other side is ridiculously open-minded,” he once said. Most paranormal mysteries he attributed to natural phenomena, wilful disbelief or fantasy-prone personalities.

  He had Uranus in his 10^th opposition a 4^th house Sun Mars in Sagittarius which would make him opt for an unconventional career. His Neptune in Libra was emphasised on the focal point of a T square to Mercury opposition Moon Saturn in Cancer.

 A 12^th house Pluto would make him curious about mysteries and keen to dig below the surface and it sat on the midpoint of Uranus trine Neptune giving him influence.

 It is a chart which could as easily made him an astrologer and drawn to Neptunian realms. Though perhaps his Sun inconjunct Saturn pulled him towards an overly rational view of events and people. Not that there are not myriads of gullible types who would believe anything but I distrust a career built on scepticism.

 The Fixed stars were precisely aligned for him with the destructive Algol conjunct his Midheaven; his Sun exactly opposition Aldebaran; his Neptune exactly conjunct Lilith with Chiron conjunct as well. His Venus was conjunct his South Node.

Paul Kurtz, 21 December 1925 3pm Newark New Jersey, founder of the Sceptical Inquirer, was also a Sun Sagittarius; and had an emphasised Neptune on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Uranus sextile Jupiter. He had Algol opposition his Mars in Scorpio exactly which was conjunct Saturn in Scorpio as well. His Pluto was conjunct his Black Moon; and his Jupiter conjunct South Node was square his Chiron. A harder, more aggressive personality than Nickell, he was known as the father of secular humanism.

James Randi, another former magician turned sceptic and member of the paranormal-trashing CSICOP organisation (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) 7 August 1926 1.20 am Toronto, Canada, had an entrepreneurial chart, full of Fire and lacking in realism. His Leo Sun was square Jupiter, trine Uranus and trine Saturn in self-righteous Sagittarius. His Mars in Taurus conjunct Algol was in a publicity-attracting square to Neptune. His Chiron was conjunct his Jupiter and his Black Moon conjunct his South Node.

  All three have planets on their South Nodes as well as strong Neptunes – I may be biased but it does not suggest a progressive approach. Part of my dislike of the CSICOP tribe relates not only to the attacks on astrology but also because both Kurtz and Randi were on the American False Memory Society Advisory Board which did a great deal of damage in the abuse field in the 1990s.

Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum think tank, renowned for its annual Davos meeting where investors, business leaders, political leaders, economists, celebrities and journalists meet to chew over global issues, is reeling after a whistleblower let fly.

 He had been preparing to stand down in 2027 after allegations of him presiding over a toxic workplace culture where sexual harassment was not properly investigated and Black and female employees experienced discrimination. An internal investigation cleared him but now it is alleged he manipulated the organisation’s research to curry favour with governments, that he misused WEF funds and asked staff to promote him for a Nobel Peace Prize. All hotly denied.

In a statement the WEF declined to comment until the new investigation is concluded, beyond saying that “while the Forum takes these allegations seriously it emphasises that they remain unproven”.

 Schwab, 30 March 1938 Ravensburg, Germany, is a self-reliant, hard-edged Sun Saturn in Aries; with a risk-taking Mars Uranus conjunct in Taurus trine Neptune. He would delight in attracting publicity but would dislike interference with his plans. His Jupiter in Aquarius is sextile a can-be-charming Mercury Venus in Aries and square the Scorpio North/ Taurus South Node axis and Algol. Not a man much given to sentiment or sympathy, veering towards arrogance.

  The WEF was founded 24 January 1971 Geneva, which gives it an Aquarius Sun trine Pluto in final degree Virgo; with a high-finance Jupiter Neptune and Mars conjunction in early Sagittarius. Jupiter Neptune can be idealistic, a guru-chaser or it has associations with inflated, unrealistic ambitions where money is concerned. The WEF has tr Pluto conjunct the Sun exactly now and running on and off till late 2026 for a period of breakdown and reconstruction – major pressures for change. Plus tr Uranus will oppose the Mars this July and then the Jupiter and the Neptune in 2026 for a period of high anxiety, jolting shocks and scandals.

  Schwab himself has tr Uranus opposition his Scorpio North Node in the second half of this May and again in the first months of 2026. That may sound obscure but a Scorpio Node does have a capacity to strip away former possessions/ securities to bring about an understanding of what really is important in life.  Neptune at 2 degrees Aries mid June to late August and again on and off till January 2027 will undermine his confidence –  and 2026 will bring more jolting upsets from tr Uranus in Gemini rattling several of his midpoints.

  Not that he is ultra-important except for what he represents – the uber-wealthy ruling the world.  Twas always thus.

  The gods of change and chance ushering in a new era perhaps. There was nothing much to suggest that Pluto moving through Libra from 1971 would be an especially money-minded phase. Though perhaps Neptune in Sagittarius, redolent of Neptune in Leo and the Roaring Nineteen Twenties may be more relevant.

Actress turned director Heather Graham has made a comedy – Chosen Family – about her struggles to stop being a people-pleaser which led to her splitting from her family thirty years ago.

 She was born 29 January 1970 5.37pm Brookfield, Wisconsin, with an FBI agent father and children’s author mother who were religious and disapproved of her opting for an acting career.

“I stopped talking to them and, I have to say, that was a huge relief. I felt like, at that moment, my life opened up with a freedom. I didn’t need to please them.”

  She does have a tricky chart with a Scorpio Moon conjunct Jupiter which would be where her tendency to put on a good face comes from but that opposes Saturn in Taurus for a less than nurturing childhood and probably a fair amount of double-messaging. The opposition squares onto Sun Venus in Aquarius so she’ll have a need to be noticed and Jupiter Venus will also be inclined to smooth over unpleasantness and aim for harmony.

  Her 8^th house Mars exactly conjunct Chiron opposes both Pluto and Uranus so there would have been heavy undercurrents of anger and domination when she was growing up. Her Saturn is also on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Neptune sextile Pluto and Uranus which requires a backbone and presumably the ability to put down limits before it works well.

 Fascinating chart with strong sugary sweet Jupiter Venus Sun aspects but the rest of it is bubbling with with feelings which are the exact opposite.   

 Hopes that the EU-UK summit on May 19 in London could be the start of a warming of relations are being cheered on by Germany. Initially the meeting is to agree a new EU-UK defence and security pact; with hopes that a youth mobility deal, energy co-operation, removal of red tape for food and plant exports, and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, can be negotiated before the end of the year.

  If talks are successful, it could pave the way in 2026 for a second wave of reforms when Boris Johnson’s trade agreement is reviewed. Starmer has ruled out Britain returning to the single market, customs union or free movement. One EU commentator said  “the real stumbling block to getting privileged access to the single market is mobility of people”.

  The UK/EU relationship chart does have a composite Uranus square Pluto suggesting a relationship that will be subject to constant change and periodic upheavals. Tr Uranus will conjunct the composite Pluto from June 2026 and square the Uranus in 2027; with tr Pluto trine Pluto this year and tr Neptune Saturn sextile the Pluto – so a re-set is possible after a fair amount of shuffling and negotiating.

  Oddly enough the backhanded Trump effect will make it more likely than less.

 When the final Brexit severance was signed on 31 December 2020 the UK’s Solar Arc Saturn was opposition the 10^th house Jupiter for discouraging a moment. Tr Uranus was then poised on the cusp of the UK’s 8^th house pointing to an unsettled economic period ahead for several years. Tr Pluto will oppose the UK Jupiter throughout this year for a resurgence of confidence and motivation. And tr Uranus will move out of the UK 8^th in 2026 and beyond for a more settled financial phase where business is concerned.

 On the run up to the Brexit referendum the status-quo-upsetting tr Pluto in Capricorn square tr Uranus in Aries were in hard aspect to the UK’s 7^th house North Node in Aries and highlighting the country’s ambivalent approach to neighbourly cooperation.

  There is certainly a different mood around at the moment with the celestial shift; with US tariffs affecting global finances and a recognition of the cost of Brexit in trade and convenience.

 There is still one giant hiccup this year with the UK Solar Arc Uranus conjunct the 8^th house Mars, exact within two degrees of a minute (2 weeks ahead) though in effect all year.

  The EU itself is highly pressured with the Solar Arc Pluto moving to oppose the 8^th house Moon and square the 11^th house Uranus within months – so finances and future plans will be blocked and challenged, making a climb down on certain demands more likely. Tr Pluto square the 2^nd house Neptune in 2026/27 will only add to their concerns since it is likely to bring disappointment and losses.

Actor John Lithgow is on a roll playing the fearsome Cardinal Tremblay in The Conclave, appearing in the successful Giant in the West End of London as children’s writer Roald Dahl at his most antisemitic; and having accepted the role of Dumbledore in HBO’s forthcoming ten-season Harry Potter series. The hate mail he has received since accepting anything under the J.K. Rowling banner has bemused him though not put him off.

 Born 19 October 1945 in New York, the son of an actress and a theatrical producer, he became an actor after Harvard and has had an award strewn career on stage and screen. He has a Libra Sun square a disciplined, surprisingly hard-edged Mars Saturn in Cancer with Venus, Neptune, Jupiter also in Libra.  His Jupiter is in an adventurous trine to Uranus and sextile Pluto giving him confidence and influence. Mercury in Scorpio square Pluto will give him the capacity to be sharp and penetrating when needed.

Roald Dahl, 13 September 1916, was a Sun Virgo with Mars in vengeful Scorpio opposition Jupiter square Venus Neptune in Leo; with his Mars trine Pluto – talented with words but a bitter, angry man.

Director Nicholas Hytner said he knew Lithgow had to play Dahl because “even though he is the sweetest man, he does have the most extraordinary talent for playing monstrous characters”. He is known for a number of memorable villain roles, including the voice of the ruthless Lord Farquaad in animated movie Shrek, disgraced Fox News head Roger Ailes in Bombshell, and as a child psychologist who himself suffers a mental collapse in Raising Cain.

 Of Dahl, Lithgow said “he was a very complicated man damaged by terrible tragedies. He was a charmer and a wit, but he had a vile temper and he could be horrible to people. And he had a deeply emotional side. He endured awful grief when one of his children was badly injured and another passed away. What fascinated him about Dahl was the “origins of that hatred… I think so much of that comes from injury, from damage.” 

 Both Lithgow and Dahl share Saturn in Cancer which can give expression to emotional pain. Lithgow’s North Node in Cancer was conjunct Dahl’s Pluto and Lithgow’s Mercury was conjunct Dahl’s Mars in Scorpio which again suggests enough connection to Dahl’s inner conflict and hatred to be able to make sense of an insightful stage portrayal.

J.K. Rowling, 31 July 1965 9.10 pm Bristol, England, Lithgow will be drawn to since his Pluto is conjunct her Sun and his Libra planets click with her 8^th house Mars. A not always easy association but he will understand her motivations.

 She looks relieved after the Supreme Court ruling on two sexes with only a few tremors more this year as tr Saturn opposes her Moon for a final time in November and December.

  She may have a few outspoken moments with tr Uranus square her Mercury as well, picking up from this July onwards. But with her Solar Arc Mars having finished wading across the aggravated squares to her Uranus Pluto which made the recent few years fraught – and only one more square to her Saturn in six months which may cause some setbacks or irritations, thereafter she looks as if she will settle for a quiet life.

  Her Progressed Moon is aiming for her Midheaven within months which will require a focus on career matters for a while ahead. But at the same time Jupiter through her 5^th will want time to enjoy and have fun; and tr Saturn through her lower profile First Quadrant hints that a less pressured schedule ahead will suit her.

The funeral of Pope Francis was a wonder of flamboyant colour, pomp and liturgy, wonderfully well produced and surprisingly upbeat with thoughts of happy ever after for the departed. The central figure presiding with remarkable stamina and gravitas was the 91 year old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, whose voice and hands remained steady through a long service.

 The son of a carpenter, born 30 January 1934, he serves as the Dean of the College of Cardinals and as the most senior cardinal-bishop in attendance, he chaired the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

  He has a stellium in Aquarius ranging from the Sun, through a Mercury, Saturn, Venus, North Node conjunction and later degree Mars; with a confident and controlling Jupiter opposition Uranus square Pluto.  His Moon is in Leo probably opposition his Sun. His spiritual Neptune is strangely unaspected being only inconjunct his Sun.

 His Mars in stubborn Aquarius is square Chiron Algol perhaps a hint of the rigidity of his views – which raised criticism when he supported the excommunication of a Brazilian mother and medical team who handled the abortion after a nine year old was raped by her stepfather.

  He struck me as interesting astrologically because of his age and his handling of the funeral.

If a birth time of 22.30 is correct he has influential Pluto in his 10th which makes sense and a grandstanding 5th house full of Aquarius so designed for public performances. His 12th house Neptune is sextile his Midheaven but still fairly weak.

Chris Eubank Jr versus Conor Benn tonight has boxing fans enthralled as the bitter rivals face up to each other 35 years after their respective fathers punched it out with Eubank Snr emerging the winner.

 The Juniors were due to fight two and a half ago but that was cancelled at the last minute because Benn failed two drugs tests.

 It is all the more tense since Conor Benn has an undefeated record to defend and has publicly said his father does not support him.

 Just to add to the family spirit the promoter is Eddie Hearn whose father Barry is also prominent in the world of sports management.  

Chris Eubank Jnr, 18 September 1989, is a fiery Sun Mars in Virgo in a volatile square to Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn with a seductive Venus Pluto in Scorpio – quite a personality.

 His father Chris Eubank Snr,  8 August 1966, a Sun Leo square Neptune has his Saturn in Pisces opposition Conor’s Sun Mars which is an aggravated chemistry, with Junior constantly feeling thwarted by father’s criticism.  Their relationship chart has a similarly fractious composite Mars opposition Saturn; with a power-struggling for the upper hand composite Jupiter square Pluto.

 Conor Benn, 25 September 1996, Greenwich, England, is a Sun Libra opposition Saturn in Aries square Jupiter in Capricorn; with the Sun sextile Pluto and trine Uranus in a talented Half Grand Sextile. And Venus and Mars in Leo.

 His father Nigel Benn, 22 January 1964, has a fiery Sun Mars in Aquarius which is opposition his son’s Mars; and his Saturn in Aquarius is opposition his son’s Venus. There will be a few arguments and rough edges but their relationship chart has softer aspects that the Eubanks.

Eddie Hearn, 8 June 1979, is a Sun Mercury in Gemini opposition Neptune and trine Pluto; with Mars and Venus in Taurus opposition Uranus Moon in Scorpio and Jupiter in Leo. Super-ambitious, oodles of endurance and perseverance, stubborn.

 His father Barry, 19 June 1948, another Sun Gemini though in his case conjunct an independent-minded Uranus and in a lucky, risk-taking opposition to Jupiter. Plus Saturn Pluto in Leo which will clash at times with his son’s Fixed Taurus/Scorpio opposition.

 Their relationship chart shows a tight and controlling Sun Venus square Pluto and an exuberant Mars square Jupiter. As long as they are not in competition it will be sort of OK.

Virginia Giuffre who accused Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, has apparently committed suicide. Relatives said in a statement on Friday that she had been a “fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse”, and that the “toll of abuse… became unbearable”. She was one of the most outspoken accusers of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, alleging they trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17, which Prince Andrew has strenuously denied.

 Born 9 August 1983 5.52 am Sacramento, California, she had an upbeat Leo Sun on her Ascendant along with a Leo Moon. But her chart also had Mars in Cancer in her 12^th in a square to Saturn Pluto in late Libra conjunct her IC describing the abuse and cruelty she suffered in childhood and afterwards.

See previous post 4th April 2025: Virginia Giuffre & Prince Andrew – both in crisis.

“Aged 7 she was molested by a family friend, ended up living on the streets as a 13 year old, then in foster homes, was abused by a 65-year-old sex trafficker, who was later imprisoned for alien smuggling for prostitution. She returned to live with her father aged 14, who was a maintenance manager at Mar-a-Lago. She met Ghislaine Maxwell there when she was 16 and was offered a job working for Epstein as a traveling masseuse with the assurance that no experience was necessary. Between 2000 and 2002, she travelled between Epstein’s residences in Palm Beach and Manhattan, his New Mexico ranch  and island Little Saint James, being trafficked, she said in her autobiography, by Epstein to provide massages and sexual services for him and a number of his business associates over a two-and-a-half-year period.”

 Her 22 year marriage to martial arts trainer Robert Giuffre with whom she had three children appeared to have split this year with some evidence she was distressed at being separated from her children. She married at 19 only ten days after meeting her prospective husband which allowed her to escape Epstein’s clutches.

  Tr Uranus was exactly square her Moon at the moment for an emotionally upsetting period continuing on from last year; with her Solar Arc Sun square her 5^th house Neptune for disappointment and uncertainty.  Tr Uranus was also in hard aspect to her Neptune/Pluto midpoint and her Saturn/North Node – which would bring maximum confusion and high tensions. Her Solar Arc Saturn Pluto had also recently been square her Venus for emotional loss and challenges.

 Her Progressed Moon moving through her 7^th and tr Saturn through her 8^th both point to her feeling the lack of a partner’s support keenly. 

 Australia was not her best place to live since it put her deprived Saturn Pluto in her 8^th, her Moon in the 6^th house of delicate health; and Neptune on her Midheaven.

   He relationship chart with Prince Andrew has a composite Sun Uranus conjunction in Libra catching the recent Solar Eclipse in opposition with the late September Solar Eclipse being conjunct – so the tremors will extend on. There is also a composite Sun conjunct Algol; and an ominous yod of Neptune sextile Pluto inconjunct Mars which would bind their destinies together for good or in this case for ill.

 He has tr Uranus less than a degree over the opposition to his Scorpio Moon and with SA Pluto still conjunct his 4^th house Neptune – for an emotionally troubled few months with domestic and family uncertainties.

 Lady Victoria Hervey,  6 October 1976, London, a staunch supporter of Prince Andrew, has been heavily criticised after suggesting Virginia Giuffre’s death was due to her ‘lies catching up’. She is a socialite and model, with a Sun Pluto in Libra which is in the line of fire of the recent Aries Solar Eclipse and the autumn Libra one as well. Her Neptune is conjunct Andrew’s Moon for a delusional glow of appreciation.