Algeria’s ailing 82 year old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is insisting he stay in place during a transition to a new administration, having been forced into declining a fifth term. The theory being he is being propped up by vested interests amongst his entourage. It hasn’t calmed dissent on the streets with major demonstrations across the country, mainly from younger voters but also the professions and some military joining in.

His Deputy Defence Minister Abdel Gaid Salah, who has criticised the uprising and would presumably be out of a job if the old regime fell has put himself forward as arbiter of the changeover. Born 13 January 1940 he’s a stalwart and ambitious Sun Capricorn square a tough Saturn in Aries opposition a Libra North Node. Co-operation is not his strong point. He’s also got a practical, business-oriented Earth Grand Trine of Sun trine Neptune trine Uranus.

He’s under considerable stress and discouraged from this year till 2021 with tr Pluto conjunct his Sun and square his Saturn, which will take its toll and grind him down; with more stress and disappointments in 2020. His relationship chart with Algeria  hints at separation this year and disappointment with each other through the next four years.

Which doesn’t mean he won’t stick around but at the very least he’ll be exceptionally unpopular.

See post March 6 2019

Adnan Syed  imprisoned in 1999 for the murder of his ex-girl-friend Hae Min Lee, from whom he had separated, has had his case aired by the podcast Serial and has been through a number of appeals. He was convicted on the basis of no physical evidence and the word of a man whom defence lawyers say was coached in his testimony. A possible alibi witness was never brought forward.

Syed, born 21 May 1981 into a conservative Muslim family, is a Sun Mercury in Gemini square an enthusiastic Mars Jupiter in Virgo; with a a neurotic Saturn square Neptune and sextile Uranus. It’s an impulsive though not an especially difficult chart except for his Pluto being square his Sun/Mars midpoint.

He could be in for some good news at points this year with tr Uranus trine his Jupiter late this month into mid April; and again through May with tr Uranus trine his Mars/Jupiter midpoint. But he’s still got a dreary-slog tr Pluto trine his Saturn all year and more discouragement come the early 2020s.

Hae Min Lee, 15 October 1980, was a Sun Pluto in Libra with Venus in Virgo. Her Mars in Sagittarius was opposition his Sun so it would be a sparky, argumentative interface. And their relationship chart despite having an affectionate composite Sun Venus conjunction also has an intensely possessive composite Mars Pluto which would make separation a fraught issue.

Whatever is true or not, the judicial process does seem to have been flawed.

Emilia Clarke, the English actress who plays Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones has admitted she suffered two brain aneurysms early on in the eight-year run of the series. Either of them could have killed her and she underwent risky brain surgery and a difficult convalescence before stepping back into a pressured role.

Born 23 October 1986 in London (no time sadly) she’s a last degree Libra or zero Scorpio Sun conjunct Pluto square Mars in Aquarius, so carries a good deal of inner tension and frustration. Her Pluto is in a confident trine to Jupiter; and her Saturn in Sagittarius is in a disciplined sextile to her Mars and a hates-failure square to her Jupiter.  Her Moon is a singleton in Gemini/Cancer. Often singleton Moons go along with a public career.

When she had her first collapse from a brain bleed in 2011 tr Pluto was conjunct her Sun/Jupiter which should have given her a surge of confidence but was also conjunct her Mars/Saturn which can be accident-prone and fairly disastrous. Two years later when she had an even more serious operation her Solar Arc Neptune was in a debilitating square to her Sun; and she had an uncertain worrisome Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Neptune as well.

A birth time would definitely help. Extraordinary she was able to recover, keep it secret, and continue in such a challenging role and with a punishing work schedule.

Anthony Pellicano, the private investigator/fixer for the stars and inspiration behind the violent Ray Donovan tv series will be released from prison this week. He’s served more than 15 years inside, on charges ranging from possession of plastic explosives and hand grenades, to wiretapping, racketeering, protection, intimidation, witness tampering and destruction of evidence. He was an expert in electronic surveillance and consultant on the movie The Enemy of the State. Michael Jackson was a client amongst  other big name stars and he ‘handled’ the Jordan Chandler allegations which were eventually settled out of court for $23 million.

Pellicano was born in Chicago on 22 March 1944, a working-class boy of Sicilian descent with probably Mafia connections, who left school early to join the US Army Signal Corps.

He’s a Sun Mercury in Aries trine Pluto and opposition Neptune – Pluto Neptune in aspect to the Sun is often a stand-out feature of over-the-top ambition. His Pluto conjunct the Leadership Leo North Node sits on the focal point of a trine between an innovative Uranus and Neptune – controlling and influential.  Where his ruthless streak comes from is Saturn Mars conjunct in Gemini sextile a flamboyant Jupiter in Leo. And I’d imagine his Pluto is magnified sitting on the angles or in his 8^th.

His harmonics hint at an attraction for walking on the dark side.  His 16^th Harmonic is particularly strong which is destructive, warning against dangers and disasters which are sometimes self-inflicted.  And his 18^th Harmonic is also marked which attracts conflicts and enemies, fire and explosions.

He isn’t look too settled or secure in 2020/21 with tr Neptune square his Saturn; and before then will be in a state of upheavals with tr Uranus square his Pluto.

The Good Friday Agreement which lies at the heart of the Irish backstop problem was the peace agreement between the British and Irish governments, and most of the political parties in Northern Ireland, on how Northern Ireland should be governed; and relations between the North and the South and the British government. It guaranteed an open border which is the stumbling block if/when the UK exits the EU and the Republic of Ireland stays in.  It was agreed on 10^th April 1998 at 5pm in Belfast and was a considerable achievement after decades of trouble.

That chart has been under serious stress since 2017 with tr Pluto squaring the Aries Sun, moving this year on to square the Saturn, then the Mars/Saturn midpoint in 2021/22 and finally Mars in 2023/24 – so an extended period of extreme pressure pushing it to the limit and beyond.

There’ll be an almighty jolt come mid 2020 with Solar Arc Sun square the Uranus.

Which doesn’t augur well for whatever the consequences of Brexit turn out to be.

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Brexit may or may not now recede to June 30^th after Theresa May failed to get any kind of agreement out of her Cabinet let alone her party. The EU could refuse or lay out conditions for granting it – second referendum, general election etc – or insist on a two-year delay. Donald Tusk is now saying only if her deal is voted through – but that’s just for today. Opinions and decisions change hourly.

What makes June 30^th intriguing is the Total Solar Eclipse of 2^nd July at 10 degrees Cancer which is exactly opposition the UK Sun, the EU Sun and the Germany Sun. An Eclipse in opposition to the Sun often points out forcefully that you are not always right and need to see a central situation from a new perspective.  It can be an opportunity to get out of a rut.  And chance would be a thing.  The Eclipsed New Moon is in a downbeat opposition to Saturn with Saturn conjunct Pluto; an over hopeful, head-in-the-clouds Jupiter square Neptune; and an explosive Mars Mercury square Uranus. So setting the scene for yet another run of panics.

Theresa May has nothing of cheer ahead. Tr Pluto is in a trapped, frustrated opposition to her Mars/Node till March 29^th; returning late May till early July. From March 29^th till late May she has the career-loss-making tr Pluto square her Jupiter/Saturn midpoint. May looks jangled and jolted with tr Uranus opposition her Sun/Saturn; and from May till mid August she has tr Neptune opposition her Sun/Pluto midpoint, undermining career, will-power and motivation.

That latter Neptune station at 18 degrees coincides with the square to her 2017 Government Sun and Moon, which was droopy enough at the best of times with the Full Moon square Neptune – but this will let even more water into the leaky boat over several months.

The UK chart itself has a minor uplift in July from the 10^th with tr Pluto square the Sun/Jupiter; with a nervy tr Pluto opposition Mars/Uranus at the same time.

Like Tantalus’s eternal punishment – what he craves recedes every time he thinks he’s got it.

ADD ON:  There are now multiple choice options, the departure date of 29 March having been pushed back. If May’s deal is voted through then May 22 will be the cut off date to allow time for legislation to be passed. If her deal falls, then the EU will reconsider its options by April 12^th. European Council President Donald Tusk said all Brexit options would remain open until then –  a deal, no deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50. “The 12 April is a key date in terms of the UK deciding whether to hold European Parliament elections. If it has not decided to do so by then, the option of long extension will automatically become impossible.”

April 12^th: Nothing much on the day – an over-hopeful Mercury in Pisces square Jupiter; and a cool Venus in Pisces trine Saturn; with a pressured Aries Sun square Pluto on the 13th.

May 22^nd: Sun and Mercury just into Gemini. A mildly excitable Mars in Cancer sextile Uranus.

Neither look earth shattering. June is marginally more fraught with a high-tension Mars in Cancer opposition Pluto on the 20^th.

Pete Buttigieg is an unlikely Democratic presidential candidates amidst the crowd – mayor of a midsize city, 37 years old and openly gay. But he’s garnering praise for his stance on the Green Deal and his support for his Muslim residents in the wake of Christchurch.

Born 19 January 1982 in Indiana to two academic parents, he made his mark through school and college, was a naval reservist, then became the youngest mayor of a mid-size city for two terms. His career has been upwards and onwards since his teens.

He’s a last degree Capricorn Sun in an ultra-determined square to Saturn Pluto in Libra; his Sun is also conjunct Venus in Aquarius square Jupiter in Scorpio so he’s charming, tolerant and lucky as well.

His high hopes will get tempered from this May onwards with tr Neptune square his Sun/Jupiter midpoint, running into 2020. Over the election itself tr Saturn is blocking his enthusiasm square his Mars/Jupiter and the tr Jupiter Pluto is square his Saturn, which is probably not great either, despite Jupiter’s presence. However he does have tr Uranus opposition his Jupiter in November 2020 which suggests good news of some variety.

He’ll be around for years and years so this first throw of the dice may just earn him name recognition outside of his own circle. And there’ll be everything to play for in future years.

Pic: marcn

John Bercow, Speaker of the House, threw a spanner into the Brexit works yesterday by denying a further (third) vote on Theresa May’s deal unless it was substantially different from the previous one. Which seems reasonable since it’s been heavily defeated twice but his action has raised an almighty furore. And this despite the fact that she was rumoured to be considering pulling the vote if she looked like losing again which seemed likely. Now the word is she’s pushing ahead against Bercow’s ruling to hold the vote. Shambles isn’t the word for it.

Bercow, 10 January 1963 is a late degree Capricorn Sun with two contradictory T squares – one super-confident, pushy and frivolous with Jupiter opposition Pluto square Venus; and one gritty, slippery, short-tempered with Mars in Leo opposition Saturn square Neptune.

What’s for sure is that his relationship with Theresa May is one of deep dislike and hostility with a composite Sun Mercury opposition Mars square Pluto. It’s sagging even more badly than usual through April, worse in May right through till mid September. Though he’s likely to go sometime soon.

Dick Dale, the guitarist, godfather of Surf rock and the father of Heavy Metal has died. He aimed for a sonic impact to match the power of the waves and the adrenaline rush he felt while surfing which brought a faster, louder style that influenced the Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix, among others. His 1963 hit “Misirlou,” an adaptation of a traditional Arabic song, was revived in 1994 as the opening anthem for Quentin Tarantino’s blockbuster film “Pulp Fiction.”

Born 4 May 1937 in Boston, MA, with a Lebanese father and Eastern European mother, he was an earthy and rebellious Sun Uranus in Taurus in an inspired trine to Neptune; with a supremely and powerfully confident Jupiter in Capricorn opposition Pluto square Venus in upfront Aries. A heavyweight and gutsy personality.

His creative 5^th harmonic and musical 7^th were both marked; as was his global superstar 22H.