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Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli PM, facing an indictment on corruption charges is pressing ahead with an April election and playing the Trump victim card in his defence. He clearly hopes the voters will exonerate him even if the courts don’t.

Born 21 October 1949 10.15am Tel Aviv, (rectified time) he is regarded by many as an embarrassment, a threat to democracy, even a precursor to Donald Trump and has gone out of his way to be a friend to strongman dictators.

He is a Libra New Moon with his Sun in an expansive square to Jupiter in money-minded Capricorn and sextile Mars in flamboyant Leo. His Mars is in a formidably determined conjunction to Pluto, both in his legal-affairs 9^th.  He’s mounting what Haaretz the liberal Israeli newspaper describes as an OJ Simpson defence.

Solar Arc Pluto is in the dead-halt conjunction to his Sun which picked up in 2018 when the charges were mooted and will continue for a while yet. He also has Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Saturn in effect over the next few months which suggests high irritability with his freedom being restricted. Tr Saturn is also squaring his Neptune before and after the election which will be uncertain and worrisome; and is anyway (on this birth time) at the lowest ebb of his chart moving through his 2nd house till 2020.

His Jupiter has always been his guardian angel and is around mildly after the election and more strongly in 2020/21 as tr Pluto is conjunct his Jupiter. But he’s also got a major setback in late 2020 from Solar Arc Saturn square his Mars.

Mars Pluto individuals never give in easily or admit guilt but plough their way ahead denying everything vociferously – and sometimes it works.

The Israel chart is on high alert till mid February with tr Uranus trine the Mars. Although there are pressures for change with tr Pluto trine their 8^th house Taurus Sun in 2019/2020, the possibility of much movement is unlikely given how fixed a chart it is. And their repressive Saturn Pluto is moving by Solar Arc to conjunct their Ascendant this year and on till 2022, so there’ll be little softening of their image. Though there will be emotional upsets and perhaps voter outbursts from late May 2019 onwards with tr Uranus square the Israeli Moon, repeating into 2020. 2021/22 will ratchet up the strain with tr Pluto opposition the midheaven which theoretically should bring an inner transformation and purging of old memories, but may run into fierce resistance. A mutinous domestic period of some years follows as Pluto moves through the 4^th stirring up internal dissent. 2021/2022 also sees tr Uranus square the 10^th house Pluto, again attempting to kick start reforms and a new direction, with some old alliances breaking up.

The next few years will be tumultuous for Israel.

Jeopardy stalks Trump from various directions as a new Congress gets under way, with the greatest risk coming from Adam Schiff, newly installed chairman of the House intelligence committee and a former federal prosecutor. He has said he plans to home in on an area the president has tried to fence off: the details of his businesses, his lenders, and his partners in the US and abroad. Schiff said recently: “One of the issues that has continued to concern me are the persistent allegations that the Trumps, when they couldn’t get money from US banks, were laundering Russian money. If that is true, that would be more powerful compromise than any salacious video tape or any aborted Trump tower deal.” One of the first matters he plans to investigate, Schiff told NBC last month, is the Trump Organization’s relationship with Deutsche Bank, for a time reportedly Trump’s exclusive lender, which was fined $700m in 2017 for allowing money laundering.

He also said he would be handing over transcripts of closed-door testimony to Mueller, something Republican leaders under the discredited chairmanship of Devin Nunes did not do and which could place in jeopardy Trump aides including Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Roger Stone.

Schiff born 22 June 1960 is a Sun Venus in Cancer in an expansive opposition to Jupiter; with a talented Half Grand Sextile of Mars in determined Taurus opposition Neptune trine/sextile Pluto and Sun. It’s a well-tied-together chart, tuned into the zeitgeist, charming with a ruthless edge. He’s also got a serious Saturn opposition Mercury.  His Mars falls in Trump’s 9^th house of legal and foreign affairs; his Uranus sits exactly on Trump’s Pluto/Mars midpoint which is an explosive crossover; and Schiff’s Pluto is conjunct Trump’s Ascendant and Mars, so he has the ability to transform Trump’s image and corner him.

Their relationship chart is combative and competitive with a composite Sun Mars conjunction which is being shaken mid February till early March this year. There’s a one-upmanship-struggle-for-the-upper-hand Jupiter square Pluto; and a suspicious, high-tension Saturn Neptune square Uranus Mercury which is being assaulted by tr Pluto square and tr Saturn in opposition through this year.

Schiff’s chart will have its ups and downs with a few jangles and worrisome moments from late March onwards but most notably he looks heartened through April and May when Trump is under most pressure. Maybe for separate reasons, of course, but it could be connected. Thereafter Schiff looks in line for more success and luck in 2020.

Across the great ocean there’s another gigantic shambles with the maybe vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal (that no one likes) approaching fast. The politicians are tying themselves in knots while the public appear to be less fazed and are assuming it’ll all shake down somehow.

Theresa May’s Term chart, 9 June 2017 12.35 pm London, like Trump’s, has Pluto in the line of fire of this week’s Capricorn Eclipse. Though it’s less clear what effect that will have. The Term chart is an odd mix of Neptunian waffle, dither and evasion from a Full Moon square Neptune; as well as secretive and control-freaky from Sun inconjunct Pluto. Pluto is in the grandstanding 5^th house which also rules children, entertainment and speculation. Perhaps the challenge is to transform the need to hog all the attention and share more, be less possessive.

The Term chart looks deflated and defeated from January 15^th to 22nd with tr Saturn square Jupiter; and from January 13^th has lost the lucky/confident tr Pluto opposition Jupiter/Uranus which has been running since last December. Early February to early March looks upsetting, quarrelsome and insecure. At the March 29 cut-off date tr Saturn will be just over the conjunction to the Term Pluto, for a sense of discouragement and stuckness.

Theresa May’s own personal chart picks up the catastrophic tr Pluto conjunct her Mars/Saturn midpoint from January 14^th for a month which Ebertin describes as the rage or fury of destruction, destroyed vitality. Even allowing for his somewhat overly dramatic language, it looks like a major setback. February has an undermining tr Neptune square her Mars/Jupiter midpoint which will dent her enthusiasm; and a quarrelsome, cornered tr Pluto conjunct her Mars/Node. If anything March is worse. From March 31^st to late May, she has tr Pluto square her Jupiter/Saturn midpoint which usually accompanies losses in career or even a lost job. It repeats in early 2020, so her exit may not occur on the first aspect. Also running in April is tr Neptune opposition her Jupiter which continues her banana-skin slide with high hopes being dented.

Her Term chart picks up tr Neptune square the Sun and Moon from May 2019 onwards, on and off into 2020, which will be even more limp and ineffectual than before.

Stalemate on the wall, a Democratic-majority Congress with the power to cause trouble on multiple fronts including tax returns, a shambolic administration with several acting unconfirmed senior posts and a wide range of unfilled other vital posts – and Mueller marching on. Not a happy state of affairs in Trump-land. An update on his timeline seemed timely.

His Term chart has an emphasised/afflicted Pluto in the 9^th on the point of a T Square and it is catching today’s Capricorn Solar Eclipse, which could point to crises over the next few months unless there’s a radical transformation in approach to all matters 9^th house – legal, foreign affairs and communication. Which seems less than likely and there will be consequences if situations are allowed to fester as before.

On this chart there could be a hint of relief from next Monday onwards with a success and perhaps money from tr Pluto conjunct Jupiter/Uranus which till mid February. But running at the same time is one disappointing Neptune and a rebellious, uncompromising Uranus until mid Feb as well. In March tr Uranus squares the Term Sun for a sharp jolt and change of direction, forced or otherwise, and unpopularity as well as financial worries in April from tr Neptune conjunct the Term Venus.

Trump’s own chart has this week’s Capricorn Eclipse square his 2^nd house Jupiter, which may not have a dramatic effect, but if anything is likely to ramp up his extravagant, overly expansive tendencies. The Lunar Eclipse on January 21^st at zero Leo will conjunct his Solar Arc MC which could provide a career crisis or at least prompt a rethink about future direction.

Then into next month from 13 February to 30 March he picks up tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Uranus midpoint, which is a test of nerves, overly excitable, violent emotions, high insecurity, can be accident or operation. And following directly after that are three seriously challenging, bad tempered, trapped and discouraging Pluto transits in hard aspect to Mars/Node, Moon/Mars and his natal Saturn from March 31^st to May 20. These will repeat on and off till late 2020.

His Progressed Moon moving through his 12^th will conjunct his Mars at the start of April as well which is likely to provoke an explosion of rage.

His Solar Return from birthday June 2019 to June 2020 is formidably difficult with Saturn Pluto in the 10^th opposition a 4^th house Mars Mercury, which looks like a career dead-halt.

This year from February onwards was always when his troubles were really going to start to bite.

R Kelly is one of the best-selling R&B artists of all time, his CV littered with awards as well as decades of sexual abuse allegations, some involving underage sex, child pornography and a sex cult.  A documentary series, Surviving R Kelly,  premiered this week and explores the alleged abuses of Kelly (which he denies) through interviews with almost 50 people. It also hammers home the point that his alleged history of predation could not have occurred without a network of support from music industry insiders.

Born 8 January 1967, he’s a Sun Capricorn square Mars in Libra – catching tomorrow’s Capricorn Solar Eclipse for a crisis and a challenge. He’s also got Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn in Pisces square Moon in Sagittarius – so emotionally on a knife-edge with tumultuous, erratic and unpredictable feelings. He’s also got a smarm-and-charm Venus in Aquarius opposition Jupiter in Leo.

He went through a rough patch in 2016/17 when tr Pluto was conjunct his Sun and square his Mars. He’ll have some gains and a few losses this year; and will respond bullishly in 2020/2021 to setbacks; with a couple of lucky strikes to lift his confidence. So not exactly looking as if he’s getting his comeuppance.

“Beautiful Boy” starring Timothée Chalamet out mid January is a harrowing and uplifting tale of a high-achieving boy’s descent into hard drugs and his journalist/writer father’s anguished efforts to save him through years of relapses.

Nic Sheff was born 20 July 1982 6am Berkeley, California and his parents split when he was 4. He grew up seemingly happy, bouncing between the two parents. But he started smoking marijuana when he was 12, began drinking heavily and by 18 he had moved on to crystal meth, sometimes combined with heroin. He stole from everyone, including his little brother and his grandparents, prostituted himself, lived in a park, overdosed, nearly lost his arm to an infection, and almost died from convulsions brought on by repeatedly injecting himself with cocaine.

He said more recently: ‘If I’m not living on the verge of death, I feel like I’m not really living.’  Now 36, he has been clean and sober for eight years. There was addiction in the family with an alcoholic grandfather who drank himself to death, and mental illnesses like bipolar disorder on both sides of the family. The film is based on two best-selling memoirs by father and son.

Nic has a New Moon in Cancer on his Ascendant in a ferociously difficult and frustrated square to a 4^th house Mars Pluto Saturn which does suggest extreme emotional reactions connected to his home and roots.  His Neptune opposition Venus, inconjunct his Moon and sextile Mars Pluto would exacerbate his escapist tendencies.

His creative 7^th harmonic is strong which can also be on a fine mental balance. His pleasure-seeking 9H and victim/healer 12H are also marked; as is his get-it-together 5^th Harmonic. The film offers no easy answers for a happy-every-after story and he will face challenges with tr Pluto hitting his New Moon square Mars Pluto for several years ahead.

His father David Sheff, 23 December 1955, Boston, Massachusetts, is a hugely determined Sun Capricorn with Saturn in Scorpio square Pluto in Leo and Jupiter in Virgo; with an innovative Uranus inconjunct his Sun and trine his Saturn. He’s also got an emphasised Neptune on the point of a T square to Venus opposition Uranus, giving him a creative streak and escapist tendencies as well.

David’s Sun opposes Nic’s Venus for an affectionate bond, with David’s nurturing Moon in Nic’s 10^th promoting him to find a better direction for his son’s life. David’s Uranus is also conjunct Nic’s Cancer Sun which isn’t an easy combination but perhaps gave him the insight to overcome Nic’s hyper-emotional responses to his life.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun opposition Venus; with an adventurous and lucky Jupiter Uranus; plus an angry, unfair composite Mars Saturn. But happily there was enough positive there to hold them together through the worst of times.

Mike Pence is the fallback Plan B for the White House if Trump were to fall off his perch for whatever reason, impeachment being the least likely since it would need a two-thirds vote in the Republican controlled senate.

Pence does pick up tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter in Scorpio from February 2020 for two years which will bring confidence and a degree of success, though it could always be success in a different sphere since Scorpio tends to be money-minded. However running at the same time is one catastrophic midpoint transit, so not all good. This year he has the droopy, undermining tr Neptune square his Gemini Sun until late January 2020; and a fair number of jolts and jangles from, tr Uranus square his Venus from March onwards, trine his Pluto, then square his Mars, opposition his Neptune and trine his Saturn up to mid year, repeating from mid September onwards – so there will be change, insecurity, anxiety and high tension. It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that he gets dragged into the Mueller Investigation.

His relationship chart with Trump is a sight to behold with an extreme-control composite Mars Pluto very marked, giving rise to bitter underlying resentment; and a slippery Neptune. There’s confusion aplenty through this year with tr Pluto square the composite Neptune and worse in 2020 with tr Neptune square the composite Sun. With a feeling of relief mid 2019, again early 2020.

The puzzle in the Pence jigsaw is wife Karen, whose religious zealotry isn’t a good match with Trump antics. She’s a stalwart Sun, Venus, Jupiter in Scorpio opposition Mars in Taurus square Uranus so is no one’s pushover.  If gossip is correct she was never that politically ambitious and regarded the VP as all hubby’s wish and doing.

She looks edgy in the extreme over this New Year; and although confident now and in 2019 is also kicking against restrictions and not altogether content. Her relationship with her better half is undergoing the same shifts and upsets as his personal chart through this year.

Handling Nancy Pelosi would be no easier for Pence than for Trump with a relationship chart in which one-upmanship power struggles are central, along with aggravations and an inability to share the same space without arguing.

Though Mike Pence’s problems with Pelosi pale into insignificance compared to Karen with Nancy, which is a hotbed of hostility and dislike – that relationship chart has a composite Pluto opposition Saturn Venus square Mars, and it doesn’t get much worse than that. Both are formidably strong women with Mars in Taurus. 2020/2021 will see them facing off with clenched teeth as tr Pluto trines the composite Mars.

There are times when it would be easier if astrology were clairvoyance producing a few helpful pictures of events to come, rather than a morass of possibilities and maybes.

Vivien Leigh’s ravishing beauty and her high-profile, power-couple marriage to Laurence Olivier, have tended to obscure her undoubted talent as an actress on screen and stage. She is best known for playing Scarlett O’ Hara in Gone with the Wind  and twelve years later Blanche DuBois in Streetcar Named Desire, for both of which performances she won Oscars. But her life was marred by the tragedy of her bi-polar condition which led to increasingly erratic and high-risk behaviour, and the tuberculosis which eventually killed her aged 53. A new biography is out next month Dark Star by Alan Strachan which fills in some gaps.

Born 5 November 1913 5.16 pm Darjeeling, India, with a Scottish father and maybe Armenian mother, she was sent to convent school in the UK aged six, and later travelled round Europe with her parents. An early marriage to an older barrister did not stop her move into acting or her affair with Olivier. She was highly-sexed, obsessively so, and in later years took to having sex with strangers in London parks.

She was a Sun Scorpio square a 10^th house Aquarius Moon, which is a tricky combination of intense desire and avoidance of intimacy. Her Moon was in an Air Grand Trine to Venus in Libra trine Saturn, which would further detach her from her feelings. It’s an Air Water chart – which can bring problems as the individual wobbles between thinking and emotional responses. With Uranus on her midheaven she was destined for a different kind of career and in opposition to Neptune would make her highly strung. Her Neptune in Cancer was in a showbizzy conjunction to Mars.

It’s not quite chart I would have expected from stories about her life and temperament. Apart from the intense Scorpio Sun and overly-excitable Mars in Cancer, it doesn’t seem too descriptive. Though her creative 7^th Harmonic, pleasure-seeking 9H, actresses’ 15H and super-star 22H were all strong.

Her relationship with Olivier, 22 May 1907 5am Dorking, England, was a very Neptunian affair. His Venus in Aries was square her Mars, Neptune and her Uranus, so it was a passionate, if not always sensitive, match, one which required space and would be prone to eruptions and ultimately disappointment.

Their relationship chart had a tumultuous Uranus opposition Neptune Venus square Mars opposition Jupiter – so it would be in constant turmoil.

In contrast to her Air Water chart, he was mainly Earth  with a Taurus Sun Mercury, a Virgo Moon and Mars Uranus in Capricorn – and had his own inner demons to contend with.

Behind the glitter lurks all manner of personality problems.

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