Footballer Wayne Rooney, who plays for Man United and captains the England team, and stars in celebrity gossip columns, has become a father for the third time with his wife Colleen.

Depressingly enough they are following in the Kardhashian footsteps with Kit now joining Klay and Kai – all boys. There’s no birth time for Kit but he was born 24 January in Liverpool, sometime during the day before 8pm.

He’s rather like first born Kai in aspects, in that he’s an Aquarius Sun opposition a Leo Moon square Mars in Scorpio. Kai, 2 Nov 2009 1.45pm, is a Sun Mercury in Scorpio opposition a Taurus Moon square Mars in Leo. So both will experience their parents as argumentative and very different personality types.

This one could be quite a go-er with a Fire Grand Trine of Saturn in Sagittarius trine Uranus in Aries trine a Leo Moon, focussed widely onto the Sun – so a powerful personality, entrepreneurial, bubbling over with self-esteem and inspiration. He has a confident Pluto trine Jupiter as well as that steamroller ultra-determined Mars in Scorpio.

It’s not going to be a peaceful family, that’s for sure since Pa has a Sun Pluto in Scorpio square Jupiter which will clash with No 3’s mighty Mars.

The middle son, Klay, is the odd one out being a Gemini Sun square Neptune. Though he’s got a controlling and private Moon opposition Uranus square Pluto.

The emotional storms in that family must be something to behold – from a distance.

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire, former Mayor of New York, is considering whether to run as an independent for the US Presidential election. An independent candidate has never won but his reasoning appears to be if it turned out to be Bernie Sanders versus Trump or Cruz he might have a chance.

Born 14 Feb 1942 3.40pm Brighton, Massachusetts, he has an 8^th house New Moon in Aquarius square a 10^th house Mars Saturn Uranus in Taurus. With Mercury and Venus also in Aquarius with Venus opposition Pluto in Leo. So tremendously Fixed. He did run New York for three consecutive terms on a bi-partisan basis, so has more experience certainly than Trump.

He’s got a lift from tr Uranus conjunct his Sun/Jupiter midpoint late Feb through March, which is when he is expected to make his decision. But that then disappears and he’s got the tr Neptune square tr Saturn hitting his Jupiter at 11 degrees Gemini from mid April through till September which will dampen his enthusiasm.

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There are rumblings of trouble in the BBC Top Gear camp as it attempts a rebirth with Chris Evans at the steering wheel. Various executives have left and there must be considerable worry over what was a top money spinner when Jeremy Clarkson and co were running it.

Chris Evans, 1 April 1966, has an ominous tr Pluto square his Mars in Aries from late March, on and off for two years thereafter. That is frustratingly blocked, trapped, bad-tempered and not helpful. Even before then tr Uranus makes a final conjunction to Mars from the final few days of this month till late February which could see crockery flying. Uranus Mars is insecure, leads to outbursts and bad decisions.

The BBC, 14 Nov 1922 6pm London, is generally having a discouragingly stuck year with the leaked Jimmy Savile report out slating the BBC culture for allowing his abusive behaviour to continue unchecked. A crashed Top Gear would not add to their joys. Solar Arc Pluto is conjunct their Saturn now as well as tr Pluto square Saturn, both of which are bleak, stuck and can suggest financial hardship. That won’t shift till 2017 by which time the undermining Solar Arc Neptune will conjunct the BBC Scorpio Sun. 2018 looks more of a revival but it’ll be a tough time ahead.

This year there’s also a panicky and erratic tr Saturn square tr Neptune bouncing off the BBC 10^th house Uranus in Pisces – so nothing going to plan.

Chris Evans’ relationship with the BBC looks beleaguered with intense and highly emotional discussions ongoing at the moment and that influence returns on and off till late 2017

Jeremy Clarkson, 11 April 1960, who moved his team over to Amazon for a new petrolhead show, airing later this year, is through an exceptionally difficult time in the past two years as tr Neptune opposed his Pluto and was conjunct his Mars, resulting in him losing his cool and losing his BBC niche. He does have tr Uranus square his Saturn and conjunct his Sun so there will be lively and unpredictable moments up till late 2016.

Harold Evans was a shining light in UK journalism when he was editor of the Sunday Times in the 1970s, famously dragging the thalidomide scandal out into the open. He’s lived in the US for the past three decades, continuing to be influential in journalism and writing. He married Tina Brown in 1981, editor of Tatler, Vanity Fair and most recently the Daily Beast. Despite the 25 year age gap they have remained happily together as one of the more prominent power couples.

Born 28 July 1928, he’s a Sun Venus in Leo trine Saturn (Moon) in Sagittarius, square Jupiter in Taurus; with Mars in Taurus sextile Mercury Pluto in Cancer – so charming, with leadership ability, determination and courage, confidence and the ability to attract money.

Tina Brown, 21 Nov 1953 1.30pm Maidenhead, England, has an intense and very different kind of chart with a packed 8^th house of Neptune in Libra, Saturn, Venus, Mercury in Scorpio; and a Scorpio Sun in the 9^th. Her Sun is square Pluto and trine Uranus; her Moon is in Gemini as is her Jupiter. Very private, ultra-determined, driven.

Quite an odd combination. Her Saturn opposes his Jupiter so he’ll be up when she’s down. His Sun Venus fall in her 6^th so a partnership designed around work.

Their relationship chart has an affection composite Sun Venus Neptune conjunction trine an adventurous Jupiter Uranus, sextiling onto Mars Pluto – so huge amounts of energy and influence. But it could equally have become very problematic with a power-struggling Mars Pluto. That obviously was soaked up in both their high-profile and high-pressure careers.

The messy Syrian War may be at a tipping point over coming months according to Patrick Cockburn in the Independent (URL http://goo.gl/AkVhL3). At the moment it looks like stalemate with the Russians supporting Assad and the other major players not wanting to lose credibility but not wanting to get stuck in a decade long, expensive quagmire.

There’s nothing overly hopeful on any of the charts instantly. The Syria 1 January 1944 12am chart has semi-survived majorly difficult influences over the past three years. It gets a lift in 2017 from tr Uranus trine its Jupiter from May 2017 onward. But before then it still has Solar Arc Saturn square the Syria Mars Uranus, exact in eight months’ time and thereafter for several months, which will be devastating and probably violent.

Bashar Assad’s Presidency chart, 17 July 2000, is facing more insecurity with tr Uranus square Mars from April, and then progressing through tr Uranus square Sun/Mars, onto square Sun in 2017. So highly unstable.

Assad’s relationship with Putin is sagging through this year as high hopes are dashed with the Russians discovering it wasn’t the easy fix they had hoped for.

Assad’s personal chart is under continuing heavy pressure from tr Pluto trine Uranus Pluto Sun in 2016/17/18 – so a grinding run of forced changes.

According to reports, ‘Isis is now almost sealed off within its self-declared caliphate’. This fits with tr Uranus opposing its Venus, due one final hit this late Feb/March, which causes financial and other upsets; and tr Uranus then continues to oppose the Sun Mars through this year for more disruption and risk.  2017 will be even more challenging for them with tr Pluto square their Venus and in 2018/19 tr Pluto square their Sun. 2020/21 should see them finally wiped out with tr Pluto square Mars, if it hasn’t happened before.

None of this looks like a sunny, peaceful end to this year. A long drawn out agony for poor Syria and Iraq.

What’s Ahead in 2016:  Below are the December posts for general, USA, EU, UK and Australia 2016. [Search will be back sometime soon.]

What’s to look forward to and guard against in the coming year.

The disruptive, chaotic Uranus square Pluto has no more exactly exact aspects, though is very close in January/February and gradually fades, though returning with a reasonably close orb late in the year. Its effect will be felt most strongly when the Sun and Mars move through Cardinal signs in January, April, July and October.

Although a lesser influence, the neurotic Saturn in Sagittarius square Neptune will also be to the forefront, increasing panic levels and inflating ill-defined fears. Typically Saturn Neptune is paranoid so magnifying small concerns and making mountains out of them. It will be around for the first ten months or so, most notably when exact in June and September, especially the latter when it is fired up by the Eclipses.

At best Saturn can give shape and structure to Neptune’s dreams.  Neptune’s creativity and ideals for a better society, help for the suffering, can be made real. Though it would have to be said a square makes that more difficult. If Neptune gets the upper hand it dissolves Saturn’s sense of reality, inducing disorientation, a difficulty in distinguishing fiction from fact.

Jupiter in Virgo is also square Saturn for the first six months which is an odd combination – expanding and shrinking at the same time, not entirely stable.

On the better news front, Jupiter trines Pluto in March, April and June – successful, positive thinking leads to positive results, morale boosting. Then in November and December, Jupiter (from September in Libra) squares Pluto and opposes Uranus – which will be confident and lucky; along with an innovative Saturn trine Uranus in December.

Mars is having a retrograde year so stays in Sagittarius from March till May and August/September – good for crusading and campaigning – and arguing.

The Eclipses which have an effect just before the due date and for some months after:

The 9^th March Solar Eclipse at 18 degrees Pisces opposes Jupiter which is great and squares Saturn, not so great. Not catastrophic but wobbly.

The 23 March Lunar Eclipse at 3 degrees Libra/Aries is sextile/trine Mars which will be lively. There is a Neptune Venus opposition Jupiter square Saturn so some discouragement and confusion.

The more difficult Eclipses come in September. The Solar Eclipse on 1^st September at 9 degrees Virgo opposes Neptune and squares a Mars Saturn conjunction which looks accident prone, rattled, maybe military ramping up and muddled.

The 16 September Lunar Eclipse at 24 degrees Pisces/Virgo squares onto Mars which looks aggravated; with the Uranus Pluto square anchored into a T Square to Venus in Libra so emotionally intense and unpredictable; and the Saturn Neptune square tied tighter together into another T square with the Virgo North Node – so Mars, Pluto, Saturn are all on focal points, accentuating their effect.

USA 2016

The USA will continue to trudge through tr Pluto square Saturn for a second year till October, which isn’t frivolous or indulgent, can be accompanied by some hardship and deprivation. 4 July 1776 (11 am).

There’s also a fair amount of Neptune around – tr Neptune conjunct the Solar Arc Sun; tr Neptune square Uranus; Solar Arc Mercury opposition Neptune exact in 3 months.  So muddled thinking, not ego-boosting, maybe a hint of fanaticism from Neptune Uranus. Perhaps a risk of flooding as well.

There will be high spots and confident-pushes from tr Pluto square Jupiter/Pluto from January on and off for two years, but it looks fairly foggy along the way until the September Eclipses.

Tr Uranus will square the USA Mercury from mid 2016 on and off for a year; and then in 2017 square the USA Pluto – so outbursts, over frank exchanges of dogmatic views.  Certainly quite an upheaval in 2017.

The afflicted Virgo Solar Eclipse will square the USA Uranus which suggests freedom will become a major issue – too much or too little, wither freedom of speech or of personal liberty. And the September Lunar Eclipse sits close to the USA Neptune and square the USA Mars in Gemini. Mars in hard aspect to an Eclipse is argumentative, which may be part and parcel of the run up to the election. Neptune hitting the Eclipse may bring into question whether the USA is fulfilling its ideals as a superpower or gently decaying, perhaps becoming more isolationist.

The mood around the Inauguration in January 2017 looks discouraging, bad tempered and deflated – with tr Saturn then opposition the USA Mars and square USA Neptune – so not a generally popular result. Or there are global concerns bearing down.

The 2017 Inauguration chart itself does have a Jupiter opposition Uranus square Pluto – so quite a gambler as the next President, who takes risks and exerts control. A Mars Saturn square suggests less overtly pacifist than Obama. But a Sun square Moon hints at the White House being out of step with the general mood (or not caring).

The Federal Reserve chart 16 Nov 1914 9am has both tr Saturn and tr Neptune in hard aspect to its financial Venus at 10 Sagittarius, so economic setbacks and a few sinking moments up till September. 2017 sees Solar Arc Neptune square the FedRes Jupiter which is never a good economic sign – too much over confidence, not enough common sense, inflationary.

EU 2016

Whither the EU? The migrants overtook the Greece economic meltdown scenario so the existential question has been rather over shadowed. Since the EU held through the tr Uranus square tr Pluto hitting on its 10 degree Capricorn Sun, it seems unlikely to keel over in the immediate future.

There will be an almighty jolt in 6 months’ time or earlier when the Solar Arc Uranus squares the EU Sun. That pulls the full strength of the EU Fixed Grand Cross to bear down on the Sun, so it will be an event (series of) of considerable magnitude, which will shake its security.

The financial conundrum hasn’t disappeared with Solar Arc Pluto moving conjunct the Jupiter/Neptune midpoint in 2016/17 and then being conjunct Neptune in 2019/20 – which is all financial bubble-bursting, overly high hopes dashed.

Tr Uranus moving into the EU’s 8^th house of finance in 2017/18 will cause some instability; more so when it starts a gruelling and unstable process of several years moving in hard aspect to the EU Grand Cross. In 2019 it opposes the EU Uranus and square the EU Moon which will give the rigidity of the EU a terrific pounding, economically as well as every other way. 2019 as well Solar Arc MC is conjunct the hidden 12^th house Pluto which will be blocked.

The Saturn Pluto in Capricorn conjunction of 2019/2020 falls in the EU’s 4^th house, so bringing deprivation internally to its citizens. 2022 and 2023 look explosive, disruptive and then undermined.

If it survives, in whatever form, it may start to emerge into easier times by 20254 when tr Pluto moves into Aquarius and its 5^th house.

The European Central Bank (ECB) 1 June 1998, is looking limp and uncertain through 2016 with tr Saturn square tr Neptune hitting on its Gemini Sun; and into 2017 tr Saturn square Jupiter. 2018/19 sees tr Uranus conjunct its Saturn Venus which looks like another rough patch.

UK 2016

The UK looks confident at the moment with Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct Pluto in the 1801 chart, as Christmas sales break all records (and household/credit card debt soars back up). To some extent that exuberance will continue through 2016/17 with tr Pluto trine Jupiter/Pluto on and off.

Tr Uranus will make one more square to the UK 10^th house Cancer Moon in March.  I can’t say I noticed much of its impact in 2015, except there were massive anti-austerity marches and demos over the first hit. HM Queen became the longest reigning monarch and Jeremy Corbyn was surprisingly elected during the second hit. The 10^th house is the country’s rulership and the Moon does represent the people. It may become more obvious as time goes on and will certainly be forefront in 2017/2018 when tr Pluto opposes the UK Moon.

There will be some moments of panicky failure with tr Neptune conjunct the Sun/Mars midpoint in March and more obviously September when tr Saturn squares Sun/Mars for a more major setback. That will coincide with a major shock from Solar Arc Sun square the 8^th house Mars exact in nine months from now, though perhaps triggering earlier. The 8^th house Mars can be economic but it tends also in the UK to accompany major disasters, man-made or natural with loss of life.

The only eclipse to make much of an impact will be the late March Lunar which is conjunct/opposition the UK Uranus – so jolting and unsettled.

The UK’s 7^th house Aries North Node is under pressure from a tr Pluto square which is subtle but could be about whether to continue co-operating with the EU or to Brexit. Co-operation not being a strong point either for an Aries Node or a Node in the 7^th.  I’ve always thought if the UK was going to exit it would have done so long since.

The Bank of England chart, 27 July 1694 10 am London, will have a lucky break over the first six months, so presumably better economic news. But it then goes into a tail spin with the September Lunar Eclipse in hard aspect to its Mutable Grand Square; with tr Saturn following on to produce discouragement in December 2016, and worse in January 2017.

AUSTRALIA 2016

The Australia 1901 chart has Sun and Saturn in Capricorn which have survived the pounding of the past few years of tr Uranus square tr Pluto.

However with seven planets in Mutable signs – 4 Sag, 2 Gem, 1 Virgo – the year ahead will hold problems of a different sort with tr Neptune square the financial 8^th house Venus and opposition the 5^th house (speculation) Mars. Plus tr Saturn conjunct Venus, Uranus, square Mars and opposition Pluto in 2016; dragging into 2017 with the conjunction to the AU Jupiter, Mercury and by opposing Neptune.

The Eclipses are also targeting those Mutable planets with the September Virgo Eclipse the trickiest as it is conjunct the AU Mars.

So worrisome, deflating, enthusiasm-denting, with perhaps more aggravating factors than usual with the Eclipse on Mars which is angry and can also be disasters of one sort or another. There’ll be a considerable jolt from Solar Arc Uranus square Sun, exact in six months time. Following that there’s an accident-prone/military? Solar Arc Mars conjunct Saturn, exact in late 2016, which will produce heated outbursts.

There will be some moments of sunshine with tr Uranus conjunct the Solar Arc Jupiter from late April 2016, again in November and early 2017; with better news as tr Uranus trines the AU Jupiter in 2017.

So a definite dip with several reality checks, but light at the end of the tunnel.

The Bank of Australia, 14 Jan 1960, has three planets in Sagittarius so it will feel the discouraging effects of tr Saturn conjunctions in 2016/2017; with an upheaval or two from tr Uranus squares the BoA Capricorn Sun in 2016. But again better luck coming by 2018.

Vladimir Putin ‘probably’ approved the murder of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko by polonium-210 poisoning in 2006 in London, due in part to personal “antagonism” between the pair. A UK judge put in to lead an inquiry, which No 10 no doubt hoped would sweep the affair under the carpet, has instead come out with startling conclusions. The Russians are fulminating and David Cameron is weaselling around trying to sound disapproving while doing nothing.

According to the Independent (uk) Litvinenko just before his death had published allegations that Putin was a paedophile, for which he said there was video evidence.

Putin, 7 Oct 1952 9.30am? St Petersburg, may regard this as a flea bite of an irritation but he is undoubtedly in a high-stress phase of his life with tr Pluto square his Sun/Saturn midpoint at the moment, repeating through 2016. Tr Uranus is moving to oppose his Saturn from later this month for four weeks; followed by tr Pluto square Saturn and square his Sun/Neptune midpoint from early March till late 2017. Tr Uranus opposition Neptune and then Mercury from late April onwards. So all in all his nerves will be shredded and he’ll be confused, uncertain, discouraged, pushing boulders uphill. It’ll test even his formidable stamina and self-belief.

His relationship with David Cameron isn’t showing a flicker of discomfort at the moment, no matter what public shows of defensive outrage are coming out of the Kremlin. Where it does start to show strain is towards mid year when Putin’s own chart is looking on edge and at risk.

The Russia 1917/UK relationship chart also hints at higher tensions from mid year.

The International Tennis Federation is now facing allegations of match fixing, following on from Fifa’s corruption and Athletics doping cover-up scandals.

Where did all the old sporting spirit go? Nothing seems clean. Where competition brings a mass audience, cash registers are guaranteed to follow.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) was founded on 1 March 1913 in Paris with a Pisces Sun sextile Jupiter in Capricorn. The tr Saturn square tr Neptune this year is catching the ITF Pisces Sun. It will induce disappointment and damage reputations, more so from mid March onwards. Tr Neptune is also opposition the Solar Arc Saturn which is slowly approaching an opposition to the ITF Sun by late 2017. So a clean-up may take some time.

The IAAF (Athletics), 17 July 1912, has a similarly sinking year with the tr Saturn square tr Neptune bouncing off the Solar Arc Mars and Solar Arc Saturn; with tr Uranus square the Cancer Neptune Sun mid-year onwards. They’ll take even longer to get their house in order since their really testing time comes in 2020 after a major meltdown as tr Pluto opposes their Neptune Sun.

FIFA (football) 21 May 1904, is gridlocked this year with Solar Arc Mars square Pluto; and backed into a corner in 2018/19 with Solar Arc Sun square Pluto.

Maybe all this has something to do with the Uranus Pluto square upending the corrupt old structures and attempting along with Pluto in Capricorn to do a long term spring clean.

Pluto in Capricorn was historically associated with times of justice and culture. Not much of that on the horizon yet, but I travel hopefully..

PS. I  looked up a treatise on the original Olympic Games which suggests they weren’t much different. “Greek Olympics were fierce contests between bitter rivals, in which victors won kudos and rewards, and losers faced scorn and even assault. Victory was almost worth dying for and a number of athletes did just that. Many more resorted to cheating and bribery. Contested always bitterly and often bloodily, the ancient Olympics were not an idealistic celebration of unity, but a clash of military powers in an arena not far removed from the battlefield.” Ah well, another illusion shattered.

The Oscar nominations are coming in for heavy criticism because of the lack of black or minority actors, with talk of a boycott.

The first Oscars ever was held 16 May 1929 with a confident and stubborn Sun Jupiter in Taurus square Neptune in Leo – well suited to the indulgent feste and high finance of the premier film award jamboree. There’s also an inspirational, entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine of Neptune trine Saturn in self-righteous Sagittarius trine Venus in Aries. Grand Trines tend to get stuck in a comfortable rut, unless focused into a Kite with an opposition to one leg. It’s a chart with huge energy but lacking the capacity for radical change.

Until now. There’s a double whammy of collapse-and-rebuild influences. The Solar Arc Pluto is opposing the Oscars Uranus this year; and tr Uranus is square the O’s Pluto exactly now, followed by tr Pluto opposition Pluto. There may be a major tug of war between the old guard and the agents for change, but with all that force being generated something will have to give. Expect next year to be different.