Libya which has been torn by violence and political instability since Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011 is winding up for yet more trouble with foreign troops and peacekeepers exiting because of the danger. There are dozens of militias operating in the country and this present confrontation was precipitated by rebel forces under Egypt and UAE-backed Gen Khalifa Haftar who have been advancing from the east with the aim of taking the capital, Tripoli. The UN-backed prime minister has accused him of attempting a coup. A unity government has been in place since 2015 but has struggled to assert national control.

Libyan gained independence on 24 December 1951 at midnight presumably. It’s a highly Cardinal chart with a Capricorn Sun, Jupiter in Aries, Uranus in Cancer and  four planets in Libra. When the long term dictator Gaddafi was killed in late 2011 tr Pluto was square the Jupiter and tr Uranus was square the Sun. That started a long and troubled phase of the tr Uranus square tr Pluto bouncing off Saturn, Mars and Neptune which is still ongoing with tr Pluto trailing behind, still square the Neptune for confusion and devastation this year until this December. Tr Neptune is also in a directionless, swampy square to the Libya midheaven till January 2020 which doesn’t look like a resolution anytime soon. And the Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct the Sun for an undermining late 2020/21; followed by an emotionally intense and blocked tr Pluto square the Moon in 2023/24, with muddle and mayhem as it moves across various midpoints before then.

General Haftar, 7 November 1943, is a stubbornly determined Sun Mercury in Scorpio square Pluto; with a hard-edged Mars Saturn in Gemini. He’s got some real highs and some real downers ahead. On the upside his Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct his Jupiter for a lucky break around this year; with a confident Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct Mercury in 2020 and conjunct his Sun in 2022. But he’s also got tr Neptune squaring his Mars in 2021 for a sense of panicky failure and square his Saturn in 2023 for teeth-gritting worries.

In the aftermath of Gaddafi’s death and the descent of Libya into chaos, there was heavy criticism of David Cameron and Nicholas Sarkozy for the failure to develop a coherent strategy to fill the gap left by Gaddafi’s departure.

Tiger Roll won the Grand National yesterday to become the first horse since Red Rum 45 years ago to win the Aintree race two years running. In fact Red Rum went on to win a third National and come in twice in subsequent years.

Tiger Roll, who at 15 hands 2 inches is more of a lady’s hack size than a steeplechaser, was foaled in Ireland on 14 March 2010. He’s a Sun Uranus Mercury in Pisces with Jupiter and maybe Moon also in Pisces. If that sounds too watery and wishy washy, his Saturn in Libra opposes his Uranus Sun and Venus in Aries; as well as being sextile Mars in flashy Leo – so he’s got disciplined and backbone.

His chart is nothing like Red Rum’s – 3 May 1965, also Ireland. He was an Earthy Sun Venus in Taurus opposition Neptune and trine and explosive combination of Pluto, Uranus, Mars in Virgo. His Virgo planets opposed Saturn and squared North Node in Gemini. He retired at 13 and died after a long retirement when he was 30.

Keir Starmer, the UK Opposition spokesman for Brexit, comes across as a steady pair of hands. He was formerly a defence lawyer with an interest in human rights and Head of the Crown Prosecution Service. He only became an MP in 2014 and declined to stand in the leadership contest because of his lack of political experience.

Born 2 September 1962, he does have an influential and powerful chart with a ‘healing’ and private Water Grand Trine of Mars in Cancer trine Neptune trine Jupiter, formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition a Sun Pluto (Uranus) conjunction in Virgo – so he’s not short of drive, confidence and determination. His Moon and Venus are in Libra; and he has a Fixed T Square of Saturn in cool, intellectual Aquarius opposition a Leo leadership North Node square Neptune in Scorpio.

He’s powering confidently ahead at the moment with tr Pluto trine his Jupiter/Node midpoint with a bounce up come May with tr Uranus conjunct his Solar Arc Jupiter. But he’s also got a panicky Solar Arc Neptune opposition his Mars around now as well as Solar Arc Sun Pluto in a stuck square to his Saturn. With some bumps and tensions come June as tr Uranus squares his Saturn. July/August and November to mid December look disastrous in terms of setbacks and bad temper.  He carries his two lucky Jupiter influences into 2020 and they’re joined by another couple as tr Uranus is conjunct his Mars/Jupiter and sextile his Jupiter – and trine his Sun and Pluto from mid 2020 on – which could see his life alter radically. I always thought he had a chance of going to the top.

His relationship with Corbyn is both confused and coolly business-like. There’s a disappointing composite Sun square Neptune; and a teeth-gritted Saturn. Their partnership looks stressed and aggravated from July onwards.

Starmer’s relationship with the Shadow Chancellor John McConnell is, if anything, worse since they would be direct rivals in the event of Corbyn standing down. There’s a controlling, chained-together Pluto square Saturn and Saturn square Sun; with an ego-clash Mars square Neptune. Their relationship is under pressure now and being undermined further from May onwards.

Pic: Chris McAndrew

Princess Beatrice is being seen with a new beau, having seemed a rather forlorn singleton at her sister Eugenie’s wedding. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a property and design magnate in London, has an Italian count father but was educated in the UK and has been part of the young Royal crowd since childhood. After graduating from Edinburgh University, he first worked as a researcher for David Cameron, before founding his property business, Banda, in 2007 – now considered to be one of London’s top developers, with £600 million of homes on its books. He has a son by a former fiancée, the architect and designer Dara Huang, whom he split from when he took up with Beatrice.

He was born 1 November 1983 (net sources) which makes him an intense and serious Sun Saturn Mercury in Scorpio; with a passionately enthusiastic and hard-working Mars Venus (Moon) in Virgo. His Jupiter in Sagittarius opposes a North Node in Gemini squaring onto Mars, making him impulsive and scattered.

His Virgo planets fall on the cusp of Beatrice’s 8^th house so there will be a deep connection; with his Uranus on her Midheaven so he’ll change the direction of her life; and his Jupiter falls in her 10^th so status will be important. It won’t be all sweetness and light since her can-be-autocratic Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius is conjunct his Neptune and square his Venus Mars (Moon). But his Jupiter Uranus in Sagittarius are trine her Leo Sun and her Mars in Aries – so it’s an adventurous combination. Her Venus Moon in Cancer  trine his Scorpio Sun Saturn Mercury which isn’t perfect since he’ll probably overwork and be fairly rigid at times. But the Water resonance will help.

Their relationship chart has a confident, power-couple and enthusiastic composite Jupiter trine Pluto trine Mars – so there’s plenty of high-octane fuel in their connection. Plus perhaps an affectionate composite Venus Moon; with a passionate Venus square Pluto.

She does have her Progressed Moon moving through her 7^th house of close relationships for two years ahead and exactly conjunct her Sun at the moment – so she’s definitely looking for a settled relationship.  And her 5^th house Moon Venus in Cancer will be keen to get on with having children.  Her Solar Arc Jupiter will conjunct her Moon in 2021 which will be an emotional high spot.

In the faint hope of finding a nugget of helpful info in the carnage of Brexit – Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, definitely a soft Brexiteer (if it happens at all) is looking decidedly agitated from mid this month and more so in the first three weeks of May with tr Uranus square his Uranus and then opposition his Mars in Scorpio. He’s also got a scary, trapped and acutely frustrated Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Mars around now or in coming months.

May looks an unpleasant month on various charts as tr Neptune moves to 18 degrees Pisces where it stays till mid August. It certainly looks devastating on Hammond’s relationship chart with Theresa May; and indeed on her relationship chart with Corbyn where it shows up as lies and shattered nerves. And it’s when the TMay Government chart really starts to dissolve into a puff of smoke with tr Neptune square the Full Moon.

Hammond will get his mojo back to a degree from mid this July; though the nerve-stretching and high-voltage jolting of tr Uranus hitting on his natal Uranus Mars continues over the winter into early 2020. Into 2020/2021 he looks more confident and go ahead.

Not sure if that adds anything to the mix.  But certainly a major setback coming for him.

Lori Lightfoot has been elected as the first openly LGBTQ and black female mayor of Chicago.  She started in private legal practice and held various government positions, most notably as former President of the Chicago Police Board and chair of the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force. Her win hasn’t been greeted with unallowed joy in the liberal community given her not entirely progressive track record in police matters and elsewhere.

Born 4 August 1962 she’s a Sun and North Node in Leo opposition Saturn square Neptune – cool, has leadership abilities, detached and fairly slippery. She’s also got a super-confident Jupiter opposition Pluto which is widely square a scattergun Mars in Gemini. Her Mars is being undermined by a tr Neptune square from this May on and off till late 2020 which will bring a panicky sense of failure – so no honeymoon in the job. And it’ll get bumpier from 2020 with tr Uranus square her Saturn and opposition her Neptune, moving on to square her Sun in 2021 – which will shake up her life considerably.  She’ll meet all the ups and downs with bullish self-confidence but it won’t be plain sailing.

Julian Assange is being ousted from the Ecuador Embassy in London. No he’s not. Wiki says yes and fans as well as police queue up outside. The ambassador says it’s all nonsense.

He does look on tenterhooks till mid April with tr Uranus conjunct his Sun/Mars midpoint, which can bring a sudden change of circumstance; plus tr Pluto square his Venus/Mars midpoint in April and May which can either accompany a surge of passion or health issues; with dashed hopes in May to August from tr Neptune opposition his Sun/Jupiter midpoint. Though at the same time in May he will get good news on one front.

Where his chart looks most agitated is in early July with the Cancer Solar Eclipse exactly conjunct his 8^th house Sun which will also pull on his Uranus, so sudden surprises in the offing. The muddles and mayhem will roll on till the New Year. 2020 looks to be kicking off two years of intense discussion possibly depression with tr Pluto and Saturn at the start opposing his Mercury. Tr Uranus opposition his Moon from mid 2020 could be a sudden change of abode. In 2021 he has a disruptive, explosive, high-tension Solar Arc Mars opposition his Uranus; and a considerable shock from Solar Arc Mars square to his Sun in 2022 – those two will bring life-changing crises.

But he’ll also have his Solar Arc Sun square his Jupiter in 2020 and by 2021 Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Jupiter – so luck will be on his side for at least some of the time to keep his confidence up. And by 2022 tr Pluto will sextile his Jupiter for ditto.

Doris Day, the bubbly blonde with the girl-next-door image who became a household name in the 1950s/60s for Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk is still going strong at 97.  She was the top ranking female star in musicals with Gordon MacRae and rom-coms with Clark Gable and Rock Hudson but since retiring from acting three decades ago has lived a private life apart from her promotion of her animal welfare foundation.

She was born 3 April 1922 at 4.30 pm Cincinnati, Ohio, USA into a family of German immigrants. The reality of her life behind her eternal-optimist, virginal screen persona could not have been more different  Her unfaithful father split from her mother; she had a car crash in her teens which ruined her dancing ambitions, was attracted to violent and cheating men, had multiple affairs and four bad marriages – all of them hidden from view by the studio PRs. There’s Hollywood for you.

She has a 7^th house wants-a-partner Aries Sun in a confident, demanding, inspirational Fire Grand Trine to Mars in Sagittarius trine Neptune in Leo, so definitely suited to showbiz. This is formed into a Kite with Sun opposition Jupiter, making lucky, successful Jupiter the driving planet.  Her Sun is also square a controlling 10^th house Pluto in Cancer as well as in the expansive  opposition to Jupiter and North Node (and Saturn). She was tough with Saturn Pluto, control-freaky and wouldn’t always be popular amongst those close with a focal point Pluto; and prone to highs and lows with Jupiter Saturn.

Her mother would have been pushy and controlling with her 10^th house Pluto and a 10^th house Moon conjunct MC in an emotionally volatile opposition Mars. It left her with a legacy of troubled relationships; and she was prone to tantrums in her working life which is not surprising. Her Venus in Aries is deeply buried in her 8^th so she clearly was attracted to intense relationships –  certainly had an action-packed romantic life.

Her strongest Harmonic is the ‘super-star’ 22^nd; next the ‘victim’ 12^th; and she had a reaching-for-the-heights 5H which combined Neptune Pluto with Venus and Mars – so destined for great things though not always happiness.

Brunei has enacted strict new Islamic laws that make male homosexuality, adultery offences and blasphemy punishable by stoning to death. The new measures cover a range of other crimes including punishment for theft by amputation. Unfortunately for the mediaeval and sour-faced Sultan there is now an enthusiastic campaign led by George Clooney to boycott hotels he owns – the Bel Air and Beverley Hill in LA, the Dorchester in London amongst others.

Though Piers Morgan helpfully suggested instead of avoiding the hotels – ‘flood the Sultan of Bigotry’s hotels with as many gay people as can possibly fit inside them. I urge wealthy gay men and women to buy up every room, book every table for breakfast, lunch and dinner; reserve every reception suite for private parties, work receptions, meetings and charity fundraisers; take every appointment at every spa; fill up the gyms, preferably in bright pink lycra; mill around the pools dressed like Perez Hilton; demand Diana Ross’s ‘I’m Coming Out’ is played on a 24-hour loop in every lobby. Oh, and let’s have at least three gay weddings a day, every day, every month, in every hotel.’

Brunei, officially dubbed Abode of Peace, is a tiny mainly Muslim country with a population just over 400,000 made staggeringly rich by oil. It became fully independent on 1 January 1984. The Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world’s longest reigning monarchs, since 1967, and one of the world’s wealthiest men, was born 15 July 1946.  He has three wives and 12 children.

He’s a Sun Cancer in a conjunction to emotionally cold Saturn and in an expansive square to Jupiter. His Capricorn/Aquarius Moon is almost certainly opposition Saturn.

A dent in the profits of his hotels wouldn’t affect him but he does look unsettled at the moment and under heavy pressure in 2020/21.

Brunei has an inward-looking 4^th house Mercury Sun in Capricorn; with a high-finance Jupiter Neptune; a ruthless Mars Pluto; and a changeable Moon Uranus in Sagittarius.

There are indications of an over-confident push now as well as a major upheaval; with major setbacks in 2020/2021 which will make the country feel trapped and scared – and that feeling will run on for several years thereafter till the mid 2020s.

Evidently Brunei leaders are fearful that with economic integration in the world, social cohesion will be undermined. Eh, yes! You want to be internationally accepted, then act like civilized human beings. Stoning?? Amputation? I can’t find out when England stopped such punishments but certainly several hundred years ago.

Add on: The son and heir Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was born 17 February 1974 11.45 am Bandar Seri, Brunei. He has a lucky, successful Sun Jupiter in Aquarius in his 10^th in an Air Grand Trine to Saturn in Gemini and Uranus, formed into a Kite by Saturn opposition North Node and Moon in the 8^th. Air Grand Trines are cerebral but can also be ideologues, uncompromising and dogmatic in support of their beliefs. He has an ultra-determined Mars in Taurus on his Ascendant and conjunct the Fixed star Algol square his MC, Jupiter and Sun – so in many ways even tougher than his father.  He’s looking a touch flustered over the next two years; under immense pressure in 2022 with his Solar Arc Pluto opposition his Mars, but it may evoke a reactionary push from him given that his Jupiter is involved.

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