Mark Zuckerburg has now overseen his baby Facebook officially hitting 2 billion monthly users, making it the largest, most influential social network in the world. A Harvard dropout, he co-founded Facebook in 2004 aged 19, and is now worth $63.3 billion, the world’s fifth richest man. He and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook stake over their lifetimes.

Born 14 May 1984 Boston, Massachusetts (2.30pm astrotheme), he’s got an ultra-determined, fiendishly stubborn chart with a Taurus Sun and Venus opposing a raft of Scorpio planets – Mars, Moon, Saturn with Pluto also in Scorpio opposition a late Aries Mercury. If the birth time is accurate it puts his Scorpio planets in his 2^nd house of finances which would make sense. His Sun and North Node are in the broad-communication and far-travelled 9^th house; with his Mars and Uranus in his 3^rd house, also of communications, giving him a hyper-active brain. Mercury Pluto can be dogmatic but can also give deep insights.

Not an easy man to live with but his wife, 24 Feb 1985 12.16am Braintree, MA, has her Venus Mars in his 7^th and her Moon in his 8^th; and his Sun is conjunct her Descendant – so there’s enough good connection there to withstand the obsessiveness of his personality. She’s got Neptune in her 2^nd so is probably the more philanthropic of the pair; and a lively Venus Mars Moon in her 5^th house of children and fun; and a bright, intelligent, expansive mind with Jupiter and Sun Mercury in Pisces in her 3^rd.

Their relationship chart has an intensely emotional composite Venus opposition Pluto square Moon Mars, so there will be jealousies and arguments. But her adaptable Pisces Sun and never-hold-a-grudge Aries planets including the Moon will help to absorb the storms. Though their marriage will get a shake up through 2018/19 when tr Uranus is conjunct Venus, opposition Pluto and square Mars Moon. Tr Saturn is moving through his 5^th conjunct his Neptune from this New Year and then his 4^th house Jupiter, which will put a damper on the domestic mood.

His money/humanitarian 9^th harmonic is strong; even more so are his breakthrough-genius 13H; and his leaving-a-mark-on-history 17H which are both powerfully aspected.

Unholy practices of an eye-blinking variety have led to Thai Buddhist monk Wirapol Sukphol being extradited from California to his home country. He denies eight charges relating to false advertising, statutory rape, tax evasion, drug use, false academic representation, money laundering, claiming to possess supernatural powers and manslaughter.

His story went viral in 2013 when images of him appeared with shaven head and orange robe, sitting in an executive jet. A subsequent Thai investigation uncovered a lifestyle of staggering decadence. $6m (£4.6m) in ten bank accounts was tracked down, as were 22 Mercedes Benz cars, a mansion in southern California, a large house in his home town with a giant replica of the famous Emerald Buddha statue in Bangkok’s royal palace, which he claimed contained nine tonnes of gold. There was evidence of sexual relationships with a number of women, one of whom claimed he had fathered a child when she was 15 years old, backed by DNA analysis.

Followers have described being beguiled by his soft, warm voice, and convinced by his claim to have supernatural powers – the ability to walk on water and talk to deities. Many still support him. The Thai’s love of superstition tempts them to donate generously to monks in the belief this will ensure greater fortune in the future. Monks often bless new cars or houses for good. Lottery tickets are sold inside temples. Last year several hundred Thailand’s monks were reprimanded for various misdemeanours and criminal acts – having sex, being in possession of drugs and pornography, using methamphetamine, raping a 14-year-old girl and procuring a 14-year-old boy for their abbot.

Sukphol was born 18 September 1979 and wanted to be a monk aged 5, though presumably not with all the above in mind at that stage.

He’s a Sun Saturn in Virgo which should be hard-working and diligent, though Virgo is an Earth sign which in the male of the species can be indulgent where the pleasures of the flesh are concerned; and Saturn in one of his guises is the goat-god of the orgy. His Sun Saturn square Neptune points to an idealistic though also neurotic streak. He also has Moon Jupiter in flamboyant Leo; and a ruthless Mars in Cancer square Pluto and in a high-octane square to Uranus. He liked walking on the wild side. His Mercury is conjunct Venus in Libra, which would give him a smooth charm.

His 9^th Harmonic is strong – supposedly humanitarian, but often found in the charts of financial con men and pleasure-seekers. His wheel-of-fortune 10H is also marked which contains the seed of both rise and fall, the good and the bad. His 16H is also heavily aspected – which warns against  catastrophes. ’Life as you know it might change completely. Sometimes this is self-inflicted, sometimes it is not.’

Years ago I read about a researcher studying religious gurus. He kept asking himself which were fakes and which genuine. Until he realised that was the wrong question. The right question was what proportion in each was genuine and what was fraud. This one had clearly moved so far from his monastic training that he was 100% on the downside.

He looks completely blocked at the moment with his Solar Arc Saturn square his Mars; tr Pluto trine his Saturn, square his Pluto and sextile his Uranus. Tr Pluto moves to oppose his Mars in 2021/2022 which will be scary and cornered.

The drift of eastern EU countries away from democracy towards authoritarianism and Russia is causing considerable concern. A 2017 report described 18 of the 27 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries as being in democratic decline. The most worrisome are Poland and Hungary, in the 1990s seen as success stories.

Hungary under Viktor Orban is described as a hybrid regime, where democratic institutions barely work. Their role as a check on those in power has been gradually restricted. The government has taken control of every institution that could keep its power in check. The independent press has been almost liquidated.

And Poland is now being threatened by Brussels with suspension of their voting rights as they push ahead with plans to bring the judiciary under government control, strictly against EU regulations. (Shades of Trump).

Two thoughts astrologically. One is the looming Saturn Pluto conjunction, in shadow effect in 2018 and in orb in 2019/2020, which is repressive, anti-libertarian, leaning towards authoritarian rule.

The other is that Poland and Hungary both joined the EU on 1 May 2004, in the A10 enlargement which included 7 countries from the former Eastern bloc, 3 formerly under Soviet rule. That Accession chart is moving through troubled times – at the moment suffering under a bad-tempered Solar Arc Mars conjunct Saturn and Solar Arc Saturn square Mercury. The 2 Scorpio Midheaven is also being jolted from mid 2018 as tr Uranus opposes the MC and moves across the IC into the 4^th, so major disruptions in relations, worsening by 2020 when tr Uranus conjunct the Sun could blow the relationship apart altogether.

Similar influences are afflicting the Poland 1989/EU relationship chart in 2019 with tr Uranus opposing the composite Sun. And the Hungary 1918 and 1989/EU relationship charts.

The 2019/2020 marker is when the EU chart itself starts to be seriously destabilised with tr Uranus moving in hard aspect to its Fixed Grand Cross. Brexit may be the least of their worries by that time.

The helter-skelter carousel of Trump’s administration just turned into a freefall for the benighted White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, as he voluntarily jumped from the podium at the news that wealthy financier Anthony Scaramucci has been appointed as Communications Director. “A major mistake” in his view, shared by many who think Scaramucci lacks the political experience. His back-slapping braggadocio has not endeared him to many, especially Reince Priebus, who may well also go. But he’s been a ferocious defender of Trump on cable television and close to Don Jnr.

Born 6 January 1964 he’s certainly got a combative chart with a Sun conjunct Mars in Capricorn; and his Sun Mercury square Jupiter in pro-active Aries; and trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo, sextiling onto Neptune – so a go-getter, high-octane ambitious, fairly chaotic.

Capricorn is Trump’s 5^th house so no surprise that the Trump kids support Scaramucci and he’s probably a good playmate for Trump senior, evidently sharing the same gaudy tastes as him. But what was OK as a fairly arms-length relationship may not be as comfortable in close confinement. AS’s Mars opposes DT’s Saturn, and AS’s Saturn opposes DT’s Mars – and that’s a fair amount of friction.

Their relationship chart has an unpleasant composite Venus Saturn opposition Mars – it will inevitably end in tears and rancor.

Scaramucci does look fairly boxed in and jangled this year with his Solar Arc Saturn square his Sun, and his Solar Arc Sun opposition his Uranus – with many more minuses than pluses ahead in 2018, which looks cornered, aggravated and swampy, with career losses.

Sean Spicer, a controlled Sun Pluto in Virgo was never a great match for Trump with a composite Sun Mercury Uranus square Mars in their relationship chart – volatile, not comfortable in the same space. He’ll buck up in 2018 and probably greatly relieved to be out of the madhouse.

The upcoming late August Leo Solar Eclipse conjunct the Israel Mars is certainly making its influence felt as clashes break out at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, revered by both Jews and Muslims as a holy site. Nearly 3000 Palestinians have been in clashes with Israeli forces, with 193 wounded. Tensions have soared since two Israeli policemen were killed last Friday.

Haaretz, the liberal Tel Aviv newspaper said protests could turn into an intifada in the blink of an eye. An Eclipse conjunct Mars tends to produce a roar of anger and exacerbates any tendencies to fly off the handle or in an individual to do too much. It revs up the engine to overload. Trump has Mars hitting the Eclipse as well, as does Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Not only is the Eclipse conjunct the Israel Mars, tr Uranus is trine the Israel Mars right through till early September which is explosive, angry, uncompromising, tending to lead to macho gestures to prop up self-esteem. Israel also has the Solar Arc Moon conjunct the 12^th house Neptune, (exact to 4 minutes of a degree = one fifteenth of a degree), producing a highly uncertain mood. In general it’s a discouraging year for Israel with the Solar Arc Mercury conjunct its Saturn; and tr Saturn conjunct Jupiter opposition Uranus, running till November. Plus two more jolts from tr Uranus square the Israel MC in December this year and February 2018, which will send it off track.

If the start time of 11.40pm GMT is correct for the Palestine Declaration of Independence 14 Nov 1988, then their Capricorn Moon is not only picking up the square from tr Uranus exactly now till early September, but also the conjunction from Solar Arc Uranus, exact 3 months’ time and running into next year. So emotionally on edge and overly excitable; with tr Pluto square the Palestine Venus in 2017/18 intensifying the mood. They’ll be thoroughly discouraged from December into 2018 with tr Saturn conjunct Uranus, then Saturn, Neptune and square Mars.

Both the Palestine 88 and Gaza relationship charts with Israel are also highlighting the late Leo Eclipse point – Moon, Mercury, Mars conjunct for Gaza/Israel; and Venus Mercury Sun for Palestine/Israel. So very much a flash point.

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Princess Charlotte, all of two years old, has been delighting Europeans with her smiles and curtsies, as she steals the limelight on her parents’ state visit.

Born 2 May 2015 8.34am London, she’s remarkably similar to Zara Phillips, Princess Anne’s daughter – both have a determined, stubborn and lively Sun Mars in Taurus; social-butterfly Venus in Gemini; and intense Libra Moon Pluto hard aspects. Both also have a Uranian streak of rebelliousness with Zara’s Sun opposition Uranus; and Charlotte’s Libra Moon opposition her Uranus. Different houses, so the energies will go out in different directions. Zara is relationship-oriented with a 7^th house Sun Venus; while Charlotte will adore a large circle of friends with an 11^th house Sun Mars, but be less gregarious with a 12^th house Venus.

Charlotte’s Moon is not only opposition a maverick 10^th house Uranus but also square Pluto in the 7^th – which will make her home and emotional life quite a roller coaster ride. Constant changes, unpredictability, especially in relation to her mother, who always looks so perfect in public. But clearly another reality behind the scenes. Charlotte also has Saturn opposition Mercury square Neptune MC which points to a caring streak, though also quite nervy as well. Her Pluto is trine her Sun and Mars, so when she makes up her mind, not much will budge her.  Her Jupiter in Leo in the 3^rd suggests an enthusiastic connection to siblings.

Prince George looked less enamoured of the Royal trip. Born 22 July 4.24pm London, he has a much less robust and even more complicated chart than his sister. His 9^th house Cancer Sun opposes a Capricorn Moon, which will make him ambivalent about what he wants, always pulled between his head and his heart. It also suggests he sees his parents as two entirely opposing types, not always compatible. His Pluto opposes an 8^th house Jupiter Mars Mercury squaring onto Uranus in the 5^th – grandparental influence both in genes and circumstances will have a strong effect on him, making him intensely secretive, quite controlling especially over money, pushed around by circumstances beyond his control. He has a Water Grand Trine of Jupiter Mars trine a 12^th house Saturn trine Neptune in the 3^rd trine Jupiter Mars in Cancer, formed into a Kite with Neptune opposition a 9^th house Venus in Virgo. He’ll be creative, healing for others, but not always able to heal himself, highly self-protective, shielding himself from reality at times, a dreamer rather than a doer. Not ambitious. Certainly he doesn’t have the sense of duty his great-grandmother HM Queen has, or even his grandfather Prince Charles, who is designed for a public career.

OJ Simpson, the former high-profile football star, has been granted early release from prison. He was given a nine-to-33-year sentence in 2008 on charges of assault, kidnapping, and armed burglary after attempting to steal pieces of his own sports memorabilia from a hotel room. This was 13 years after being acquitted in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. His lawyers previously argued that his sentence was inordinately long; intended as a payback for his controversial 1995 acquittal instead of a punishment for his 2007 crime. He will be released as early as 1 October of this year.

Born 9 July 1947 8.08 am San Francisco, he has a Water Grand Trine of Sun Mercury in Cancer trine Jupiter in Scorpio trine an 8^th house Pisces Moon. Certainly highly emotional, he’ll live in a protected bubble of his own inner world, and, while creative, will at times be detached from reality. His competitive, combative Mars in Gemini in the 10^th is in a showbizzy trine to Neptune, sextile a depressive Saturn (Pluto) in Leo in his 12^th. His Jupiter in Scorpio (often good at attracting money) is square his Pluto Saturn, as well as being trine his Sun Mercury – so he has the confidence and luck to balance out the negative traits. It’s not an ultra-violent chart but none too stable psychologically.

In October tr Pluto will be sextile his Jupiter and trine his Sun/Jupiter midpoint to give him a morale boost. Though it won’t be an easy transition with many (including in the media) trying to trip him up. Tr Jupiter moves into his 4^th through 2018, followed late in the year by his progressed Moon for two years plus thereafter. So if he has any sense he’ll lie low and stay close to home.

The voices of doom, gloom and apocalypse are being sounded in the media over the uncertain start to the Brexit negotiations with Barnier looking forbidding and Davis/Fox spouting their usual clap-happy platitudes. But it’s early days with much game-playing going on. No doubt it’ll come down to the wire after screaming fits, tantrums and flouncing exits along the way from both sides.

The UK Mr Brexit spearheading the UK 90-strong negotiating team and Theresa May’s principal Europe adviser is civil servant Olly Robbins, 20 April 1975. He has been keen to play down ‘the political noise in Westminster’ and suggests only he and the prime minister should be listened to, thereby rather cutting David Davis out of the equation.

Robbins does look set back on his heels at the moment, jammed in and in an undiplomatic temper until mid October with tr Saturn and tr Pluto hitting on several of his Mars midpoints. He looks in marginally better spirits from December onwards, though under massive pressure. 2018 sees tr Uranus conjunct his Aries Sun and opposition his Uranus, so it’ll be an eventful year for him, with considerable changes. He’s got an over heavy workload, working on the PM’s staff and also running a large government department of nearly 500.

There’s certainly no love lost between himself and politician David Davis, supposedly the lead UK negotiator, with a composite Mars opposition Saturn square Neptune; and a dogmatic Mercury opposition Pluto in their relationship chart – and they don’t get much more hostile than that. Theresa May also actively dislikes David Davis with a brutal power-laying composite Mars opposition Pluto square Sun Mercury in their relationship chart, plus other knots and glitches.

Robbins also appears to have sidelined the UK Ambassador to the EU, Tim Barrow, 15 Feb 1964, who was shoehorned in at speed after his predecessor left having said he thought the Brexit negotiations wouldn’t be manageable. Barrow has a tough Saturn Sun Mars in Aquarius, all of which are being opposed by this August’s Leo eclipse so he’s going to be rocking on his pedestal. His relationship with Olly Robbins looks under increasing and separating pressure this year (with much the same aspects as the Trump/Sessions chart). And Barrow is at cross purposes to Davis and teeth-gritted about Theresa May.

So it’s not only the politicians/Cabinet who are involved in a pub brawl with each other; the civil service, no doubt, in a much more understated way are seriously at odds. Though if T May goes, which isn’t beyond the bounds of possibility, there’ll be another round of musical chairs.

It’s a real hornets’ nest and a nervous breakdown scenario.

The failure to pass Trumpcare is being seen as a major humiliation for Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader. And it’s not at all clear where it goes from here, since the USA has found that they actually like health care being protected.

McConnell, 20 February 1942, does have the upcoming Lunar eclipse conjunct his Mercury (opposition Pluto), which certainly fits with scattered arguments, barriers to agreements, high stress levels and the need for a serious re-think. The Leo Solar Eclipse is also square his Uranus which will also have thrown him off track. The rest of this year looks panicked, irritated and disappointing.

It’ll be 2018 before he picks up a more confident tr Pluto square his Sun/Jupiter midpoint running through 2019 which will give him renewed heart. But since it runs side by side with tr Pluto trine his Mars Saturn in Taurus, it’ll also be a mighty, uphill struggle. So no easy deals coming up anytime soon.