Angela Carter, rated in the top ten of British writers in the 20^th Century, known for her feminist, magical realism short stories, was lauded in a BBC documentary last night.  She gave a macabre Freudian and surrealist twist to fairy-tales, garnering the praise of Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood. And although reckoned a feminist she raged against ‘the self-immolation of women, how women collude and connive with their condition of enslavement.’

Born 7 May 1940 in Eastbourne, England, (no birth time) she had an extraordinary if fairly tortured life. She had a suffocating mother, who over fed her, didn’t allowed to dress herself, or to go to the bathroom alone, which turned her into a pudgy child with a stammer and few friends. Along the way she rebelled, went on a diet, ‘changed from a fat, obliging girl to a skinny, rude girl.’ When university became a prospect her parents said they would move close by, so she escaped into marriage instead. Unfortunately she picked a depressive as a husband, whom she left for a spell in Japan, which radicalized her as she watched the submissive doll-like women there. She picked up two younger boyfriends there and on her return to the UK, aged 31 she met a 19 year old construction worker, had a child and married him. She died of lung cancer aged 51.

She was a Sun Uranus (Moon) in Taurus – a stubborn maverick – all in a creative and inspirational trine to Neptune. Her Jupiter in upfront Aries conjunct Mercury Saturn in Taurus squared Pluto giving her a mix of bullish confidence along with equal quantities of bleak self-doubt. Her passionately enthusiastic Mars Venus was in a publicity-attracting square to Neptune and an exuberant sextile to Jupiter.

A one-off personality who danced to her own tune.

Her 13^th Harmonic was exceptionally strong – breakthrough, genius, exploration, breaking with the orthodox. As was her leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17H; and her creative 5H.

Steven Seagal, the actor and martial-arts black belt, has been named by Russia as a “special representative” on US-Russian humanitarian and cultural ties. He is a frequent visitor to Russia, a close friend of Putin whom he described as “a great world leader” and a “brilliant tactician,” has defended him against allegations of election interference, and attended Putin’s recent swearing-in ceremony in May. He became a Russian citizen in 2016. He was credited for facilitating meetings in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings to discuss intelligence sharing issues.

Seagal was born 10 April 1952 1.54 pm Lansing, Michigan, with Russian paternal grandparents and perhaps Mongol heritage, so he does have a Russia connection. He spent some years in Japan in his twenties studying aikido, then went onto make action movies, mainly direct to video in recent years. His emotional life has been chequered with several marriages, seven children by four mothers and has faced various sexual harassment allegations. He also appears to be Buddhist.

He has a much-travelled 9^th house Sun Jupiter in pro-active Aries opposition Neptune Moon in Libra; with his Sun Jupiter in a confident trine to Pluto – so fairly stratospheric ambitions with Neptune Pluto plus Sun plus Jupiter. His Pluto squares a ruthless, ultra-determined, never-say-die square to Mars in Scorpio. He also has Saturn opposition Mercury Venus in Aries square Uranus making him rebellious, impatient, a self-proclaimed activist, as well as innovative and, if well-handled, a humanitarian spearheading change.

Putin’s Jupiter in Taurus falls in his 10^th, so good for his status, with Putin’s Pluto conjunct his Ascendant and both tied into Seagal’s 4^th house Mars – so he’ll resonate to Putin’s confidence and control. There’s also a cross over between his Moon Neptune Saturn in Libra and Putin’s quartet of planets including his Sun in Libra.

Although it’s reasonable on synastry the relationship chart is fairly erratic with a composite Sun Uranus opposition Mercury Venus square Neptune Saturn – it’ll wobble more than somewhat in 2019. Relocating Seagal’s chart to Moscow puts his Mars in Scorpio on the Ascendant which will bring out his uncompromising and fairly dominating streak.

Seagal will be powering confidently ahead over the next four years though with a few dashed hopes and confusion.

Pic of his book: ‘The Way Of The Shadow Wolves: The Deep State And The Hijacking Of America.’ With a foreword by Joe Arpaio. Amazon reviews run from – ‘trash, absurd, borderline bigoted’ to ‘best book I’ve ever read.’ Corruption in the Deep State? He needs to take a good luck at Russia’s gangster government.

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Will Smith, the superlatively successful actor, has been waxing enthusiastic about his 20 year marriage to Jada, saying they’ve gone beyond being married – they’re now life partners. “There’s no deal breakers.”  Jada then had the celeb mags atwitter with comments that described it as open marriage, which she then tried to row back with a Hollywood witter about trust and allowing partners to be free.

He was born 25 September 1968 1.45 am Phildaelphia (astrotheme), started as a not very successful rapper and shifted into movies, where he has starred in multiple multi-million dollar grossing blockbusters. He’s a Sun Libra with his chart dominated by a not-altogether-easy Yod of Pluto Jupiter sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn in Aries. Jupiter Pluto will give him confidence but an apex Saturn requires real maturity to make it work. (He shares that configuration with Jim Caviezel (Christ in Gibson’s Passion, born a day later. An another Saturn Yod apex is Pauley Perrette, late of NCIS.) Smith also has a Scorpio Moon.

Jada Smith, 18 September 1971, is a determined Sun Pluto and Moon in Virgo. She has her Pluto and Venus in Libra conjunct Will’s Sun and Uranus so it’s quite an odd mix of possessive and independent. Her Saturn opposition Neptune Jupiter squares his Mars with her Mars in contrary Aquarius square his Moon so it’s a complicated mix, fairly gritty at times.

Their wedding chart, 31 December 1997, has a workmanlike, enduring Sun square Saturn (work comes first); an ethereal and independent-minded Venus conjunct Uranus and Neptune; with a tough Saturn trine Pluto, sextile Mars.

Their relationship chart has a possessive and transformational composite Sun Pluto; with a self-sacrificing (on one side) composite Saturn opposition Mars, and an only-one-can-win Mars Neptune conjunction. Definitely designed for showbiz. Plus a composite Venus (Moon) Uranus which suits a partnership with long separations due to work. Often power couples have Sun Pluto conjunctions, which doesn’t mean they last for ever, but together they make an impact.

Gibraltar will “make the Irish problem look like a picnic” said Ken Clarke recently, but to date it’s been largely overlooked in the morass of the Brexit negotiations. It’s an independent Brit colony on the Mediterranean, signed over by Spain in perpetuity in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. But Spain has a formal veto over Brexit if they dislike the Gibraltar dimensions of the deal. If it ends in a hard Brexit, it means a hard border between Gibraltar and Spain, which would be a major headache since Gibraltar relies heavily on Spanish cooperation and the UK would have no leverage. 98 per cent of Gibraltarians want to stick with Britain rather than join Spain, though 96 per cent voted to Remain in 2016, presumably more aware of the potential problems of leaving.

The date of signing over (I think) was 13 July 1713 which has a Cancer Sun Mercury under assault from the tr Pluto opposition till 2020, so stuck and facing major challenges; aggravated this December when the UK/EU relationship chart is also stressed and separated. On tenterhooks through 2019/2020; facing a disastrous situation also in 2019/2020 and feeling let down in 2020.

The UK/Spain relationship chart is sagging badly right through till late 2021 with a run of transiting Neptune squares to the composite Venus, Sun, Pluto which sounds as if the ties-that-bind are loosening and the power balance shifting.

Assuming the 1713 date is sound then the Gib/UK relationship reflects discouragement and separation in 2019; with extreme frustration and anger in 2021/2022.

Gib/Spain looks like a mighty tug-of-war from this year right through till Pluto exits Capricorn in 2024; with considerable upheavals and disruption in 2021 to 2024.

They should stick Boris Johnson up the Gibraltar flag pole and let the monkeys loose. It was all going to be so simple and straightforward he said. Hah.

Geniuses don’t make great human beings. Steve Jobs’ eldest daughter, Lisa Brennan Jobs has written a memoir Small Fry about her troubled relationship with her father.  She was the result of an on-off relationship and Jobs publicly denied being her father for two years after her birth, even claiming he was sterile in a deposition. After a DNA test proved he was her father, a court ruled Jobs had to cover welfare and child-support payments totalling $500 (£385) a month. Days later Apple became a public company and Jobs’ net worth rose to over $200m. He appears to have apologised and made up with her later in his life.

She was born 17 May 1978 in Portland, Oregon, and is a Sun Taurus square Saturn; with Saturn conjunct Mars and Mars square Uranus; plus Jupiter square Pluto. All of which describes a cold, rejecting, cruel father.

Her Mercury was conjunct his 8^th house Mars, her Neptune conjunct his IC and her Saturn conjunct his Pluto  – argumentative, disappointing and blocked.

Their relationship chart is fairly brutal as well with a composite Mars square Pluto Uranus; a cold Venus opposition Saturn perhaps square Moon; and a strained, disillusioning Yod of Mars sextile Sun inconjunct Neptune.

Jobs had both his Pisces Sun and Aries Moon unaspected so neither his identity nor his feelings were well integrated. He had a powerfully driven Cardinal Grand Square of an inspirational and lucky Uranus Jupiter in Cancer opposition Venus square Neptune opposition an aggravated 8^th house Mars; with Mars trine a 12^th house Pluto and Pluto square Saturn in obsessive Scorpio. He may have changed the world but he was a troubled man and not an easy temperament.

Turkey is facing a full-blown balance of payments crisis as foreign funds flee the country with the lira down 35pc in the last six months. The fear is that their currency collapse may be ‘harbinger’ of an emerging market rout which could ripple out. The increasingly autocratic Erdogan recently tossed out his Economic Minister and replaced him with his son-in-law.

The country chart looks confused, uncertain and on high alert with tr Neptune conjunct Uranus on the midheaven now into late 2019; with real hardship approaching for the beleaguered population in 2020/2021 with tr Pluto square the 4^th house Saturn and the Solar Arc Moon is also conjunct the 4^th house Mars in late 2019/early 2020.

Erdogan was sworn in for his 4^th Term at 4.30pm 9 July 2018 in Ankara. It’s an explosively erratic chart with the Mars opposition Node square Uranus in place; and more significantly a pressured and blocked 8^th house (financial) Sun opposition Pluto, which will come exact by Solar Arc in 2021.

Erdogan’s Saturn is conjunct the Turkey Scorpio Sun so he’ll have a dampening effect on the national spirit; and his Neptune conjunct the Turkey Saturn will produce uncertainty and distrust. The relationship chart has a composite Pluto square Mars Saturn which is bleak and cruel. That’s been jolted an detonated through this year up to 2020/21.

None of it good news.

Boris Becker doesn’t have his woes to seek at the moment with a calamitous financial situation, involving ludicrous excuses about non-existent diplomatic immunity as a get-out, as well as an acrimonious and messy public divorce being played out through the tabloids.

Born 22 November 1967 8.45 am Leimen, Germany he became the wunderkind tennis star very young, won everything going,  had a turbulent emotional life throughout and has not found his feet in his retirement.

He married his second wife Lilly, on 12^th June 2009, when there was a passionate and aggravated Venus Mars in Taurus trine Pluto; a head-in-the-clouds, illusory Sun trine Neptune Jupiter; as well as Sun in a needs-space square to Uranus and in a cool square to Saturn. Not ideal.

He’s a last degree Scorpio Sun conjunct Neptune with a talented, ultra-determined and highly emotional Half Grand Sextile. His intense 8^th house Cancer Moon opposes Mars and is sextile/trine Sun Neptune and Uranus Pluto. Certainly a unique personality but there’s chaos, anger and delusions tied up in that configuration. His Moon, the leading planet of his Half Grand Sextile is conjunct the Fixed star Procyon which is changeable and unpredictable, raising people to great heights and bringing them down again.

Lilly is also emotionally intense and possessive with a Sun Venus in Cancer square Pluto and trine Uranus; a Gemini Moon; and a dramatic Mars in Leo square Jupiter in Taurus. Her Mars squares his Sun Neptune for arguments and irritation on her side about his evasiveness. Her Pluto is conjunct his midheaven so she’d try to control him which was obviously a lost cause.

Their relationship chart is a touch sparse without her birth time but there’s probably a composite Moon square Pluto and trine Mars, which isn’t too tranquil; with a suspicious and doubting Saturn opposition Neptune.

He’s moving into a low profile phase with tr Saturn now into his 2^nd house, for money shortages; with a frustrating, trapped and scary 2019/2020 as tr Pluto is conjunct his 2^nd house Mars and that will run on beyond 2020 for three years or so right round his Half Grand Sextile.

All that talent and what a tragic mess it’s all turned out to be.

David Hasselhoff, former Baywatch and Knight Rider star, married his Welsh model girlfriend Hayley Roberts on Tuesday in Italy. They met seven years ago when she asked him for his autograph in Cardiff.

They picked a sparky date for the weeding with the Sun opposition Mars square Uranus in place, which will make for an eventful and not altogether peaceful marriage.

There’s doubt about his birthdate, either 17 or 21 July 1952, though most sources say 17^th. Whichever he has a last decan Cancer Sun with an adventurous, risk-taking and indulgent Jupiter in Taurus opposition Mars in Scorpio; with his amplified Jupiter in a confident square to Pluto and square North Node. With either a Gemini Moon or a New Moon in Cancer.

Hayley, born 2 May 1980, is a Sun Taurus which connects well with his Jupiter, with Venus in Gemini and Moon in loves-to-travel Sagittarius. Her Uranus squares his Pluto so she will turn his life upside down and not always be happy with attempts to control her. And his Uranus squares her Pluto so it’ll be six and half a dozen of either and both.

Their relationship chart has a sugary-sweet composite Venus Jupiter; a constantly-changing composite Sun square Uranus Pluto; and a sacrifice-demanding Mars Saturn conjunction.  Not all going to be plain sailing.  He’s been married twice before.

Protests against the heavily disputed presidential election results in Zimbabwe led to troops opening fire on the streets of Harare with three dead. The party of Emmerson Mnanagwa, a former-enforcer for Robert Mugabe, is deemed to have achieved a two thirds majority (later reduced to 50.8%, just over the threshold to avoid a run off). EU observers allowed in for the first time say they observed several problems, including media bias, voter intimidation and mistrust in the electoral commission, adding that there was an “improved political climate, but un-level playing field and lack of trust”.

If and it’s a big if, Mnanagwa turns out to be better than Mugabe there will be a long haul back to a stable economy. The country has slid sharply backwards in the recent decades with malnutrition and diseases rife.

The Zim chart has Pluto opposition an Aries Sun, under pressure from tr Pluto squares until the mid 2020s, finishing up with tr Pluto square the midheaven. Later this autumn till next spring tr Uranus will also conjunct the Sun and oppose the midheaven, so the unrest will run on. Tr Neptune will move to oppose the 8^th house (business finances) Saturn in 2021/2022 which won’t be good news. Only once Pluto moves into Aquarius in 2024/2025 and onwards is there likely to be a major uptick. There will be changes, perhaps rebellions in 2020/21 when tr Pluto sextiles the 10^th house Uranus

Mnanagwa, 15 September 1946, has his Sun conjunct the Zim Saturn so he will be concerned about international investment; and his Jupiter Mars in Libra connects with the Zim Pluto, MC and Sun which could breathe new life and inspiration into the country – or give free rein to his opportunistic impulses, depending on which way it swings.

He’s not much loved, but isn’t as off-the-wall as Mugabe was; and he might just push through some much-needed reforms with a composite Sun trine Neptune, sextile Uranus in the relationship chart. Which if he wants outside investors in, will require a modicum of transparency and democracy and a nod to human rights.