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Nicolas Sarkozy, former French President has been taken into police custody for questioning over allegations that he received campaign funding from the late Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. Possible charges in this case would be influence peddling, fraud, handling of stolen goods and money laundering though it has not yet reached the stage where charges may or may not be laid.  He was detained in 2014 in a separate investigation into alleged campaign funding abuses – the first time ever for a French ex-president; and has been ordered to stand trial in a separate case of alleged illicit campaign financing. He was previously cleared over claims that he had used secret funding from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt and that he had tried to influence investigating magistrates. He denies everything.

Born 28 January 1955 10pm Paris, he’s not as his most equable with tr Saturn just over the square to his Moon and squaring his Mars for a setback in April, and again later in the year. His Solar Arc Saturn is also opposing his ‘lucky’ Jupiter Uranus conjunction now until late 2019, so he’ll be less exuberant than usual. Tr Uranus also makes a catastrophic square to his Mars/Saturn midpoint from mid May, on and off through into 2019. He’ll revive by 2020 but he’ll have a few mountains to climb before then.

The cracks in the UK Labour Party are widening with moderates up in arms at what they see as Jeremy Corbyn’s anti-western stance in his slippery response to the Skripal poisoning. As one former minister puts it: “The instinct is to support Russia because your enemy’s enemy is your friend. It’s not anti-war, it’s anti-West.”  And one MP said if he were elected as PM: “If I’m honest, I think he would be a threat to national security.” He’s winning on the economic arguments, but the takeover of the party at all levels by hardliners is causing alarm as well.

The Labour Party, 27 February 1900 chart, is on a Saturn Return this year, so a sobering moment and the question whither next looming large. With the Solar Arc Sun opposition Saturn for a discouraging mood; high anxiety in April and a sinker of a Solar Arc Mars conjunct Neptune later this year which usually marks a sense of failure.

The 12 February 1906 chart is similarly weighed down this year by tr Saturn moving in hard aspect round its Grand Cross of Uranus, Neptune, Mars and Moon.

Corbyn’s relationship with both charts is seriously at odds in 2018/19. On the 1900 chart: With tr Pluto square the composite Sun, trine Uranus; and tr Saturn square Mars and conjunct Jupiter this year, with more aggro in April, and again in December; with a widening gulf in 2019 as tr Saturn opposes Pluto and squares the Sun.

On the 1906: High insecurity, outbursts and rash decisions late this month into March with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Mars; and a separating freeze in 2019 as tr Saturn squares the Sun, Mercury, Venus and opposes Pluto.

His personal chart is mired in confusion and setbacks this year; worse next. His Leadership chart, 24 September 2016 12.51 pm does have a successful Sun Jupiter in the 10^th but the high point of that is slowly passing over; with mis-speaks, evasions and indecisions looming large from April onwards into 2019. Where it will be at its most unstable is in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto square Uranus which could see his exit.

The inseparable duo of Ant & Dec, the hugely popular Brit TV hosts for Saturday Night Takeaway and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, has taken a knock after Ant McParlin was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of drunk driving after a car crash.  He went into rehab last year for addiction to painkillers and alcohol. ITV’s Primetime show has been cancelled this Saturday.

He has been in a highly lucrative partnership for 20 years with Declan Donnelly, who wrote in their autobiography: ‘‘We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have enjoyed such a remarkable time. Throughout it all, we’ve always had one constant that’s kept us sane – each other. In two decades, we’ve never spent more than two weeks apart. ‘Some people might not understand it, but our friendship is a massive, massive part of where we are today.’

Ant, 18 November 1975, is a Sun, Mercury, Uranus in Scorpio; with a charming and intense Venus Pluto in Libra opposition Jupiter with Mars in Cancer – so quite a dynamo. His Moon is in Taurus.

Dec, 25 September 1975, is a Sun Pluto in Libra sextile Saturn on one side in Leo and Neptune on the other; his talkative Mars in Gemini is trine Mercury and sextile Jupiter in upfront Aries. His Moon is probably Taurus.

Both with Taurus Moons and the Libra connection will help though it’s not intuitively that easy a mix.

Their relationship chart has a composite Sun Uranus Mercury conjunction square Saturn and trine Mars – so they don’t fit together as harmoniously as it sounds – tensions, arguments, differing approaches. The slightly hysterical world of live and reality television will help to soak some of that up. There’s also a confident Jupiter opposition Pluto, though that can also prompt each to push the other into unwise actions.

Their relationship is taking a fair knock through 2018/19 with tr Uranus opposing the Sun in April, then Uranus and square Saturn and those extend into 2019 as well; with blocks and lowered enthusiasm from tr Saturn hitting the Pluto this year and Jupiter next.

Dec looks flummoxed this year but will revive to a degree in 2019/2020, finding his mojo again, possibly partner-less.

Ant has more of a struggle ahead for the next two or maybe three years. He will bounce back after 2020.

Facebook’s stock fell roughly 5 per cent ($25 billion) when markets opened because of the huge “data breach” scandal that the Guardian broke over the weekend. It’s a complicated story (see URL) involving Cambridge Analytica acquiring and using Facebook data on users personal interests to target voters in the 2016 US election. Chris Wylie, the whistleblower describes himself as creating “Steve Bannon’s psychological warfare mindfuck tool”. ‘In 2014, Steve Bannon – then executive chairman of the “alt-right” news network Breitbart – was Wylie’s boss. And Robert Mercer, the secretive US hedge-fund billionaire and Republican donor, was Cambridge Analytica’s investor. And the idea they bought into was to bring big data and social media to an established military methodology – “information operations” – then turn it on the US electorate.’ (Guardian)

Cambridge Analytica (CA) is a privately held company that combines data mining and data analysis with strategic communication for the electoral process. It was created in 2013 as an offshoot of its British parent company SCL Group to participate in American politics. The company is partly owned by the family of Robert Mercer. Cambridge Analytica worked for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and on the Leave.EU-campaign for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. CA’s role and effect on those campaigns has been controversial and is the subject of ongoing criminal investigations in both countries. (wiki). SCL Group describes itself on its website as: providing ‘data, analytics and strategy to governments and military organizations worldwide. For over 25 years, we have conducted behavioral change programs in over 60 countries & have been formally recognized for our work in defense & social change.’

The Facebook IPO chart, 18 May 2012 11.31am New York, looks rattled and blocked this year with tr Saturn square Uranus, conjunct Pluto and sextile Mars until the year end. With a tough, discouraging slog through 2019/2020 with tr Pluto square Saturn; though will bounce again come 2020 with tr Pluto trine Jupiter.

The Facebook start chart, 4 February 2004, looks agitated at the moment with tr Uranus square Mercury; and alarmed come mid May with tr Uranus conjunct Mars, continuing on into 2019. 2020 looks less enthusiastic than the IPO chart with Solar Arc Sun conjunct Uranus and Solar Arc Mercury conjunct Neptune – though if it was a 12am start, then could pull those two influences forward to 2019.

Mark Zuckerburg also doesn’t look that easy this year with undermining and uncertain Neptune transits to midpoints 2018 to 2020; plus a disruptive tr Uranus opposition Pluto from mid May this year into 2019.

Cambridge Analytica (I have a date of 30 July 2014 though don’t know where that came from since incorporation was 6 January 2015) but neither chart is exactly informative. The 2014 chart has an opportunistic Sun Jupiter square Mars, which is getting a sharp elbow in July from tr Uranus opposition Mars, running into 2019. And the 2015 chart has an equally opportunistic Mars opposition Jupiter; with a controlling Sun Pluto in an innovative square to Uranus. 2019 will be restrictive with tr Saturn crossing Sun Pluto and squaring Uranus.

The SCL Group,20 July 2005, is more obviously racked with insecurity with tr Uranus in hard aspect to its Cancer Sun square Mars in Aries; with more sharp shocks and tensions as tr Uranus starts to square the Saturn from mid May.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/data-war-whistleblower-christopher-wylie-faceook-nix-bannon-trump

Round and round the mulberry bush and so the tension mounts. Will Trump fire Mueller now that he is daring to go where no man has before, into the Trump business finances; or fire Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, to insert a more pliable yes-man to do the dirty for him? Will Stormy Daniels’ case breach the walls of the Oval office? It’s knee deep in lawyers going ahead which fits with the focal point Pluto in the 9th in Trump’s Admin chart.

Rosenstein, 13 January 1965, looks undercut at the same time as Mueller has sinking-failure influences come this June. Rosenstein could go in April with tr Saturn square his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint which sometimes accompanies job losses. He looks devastated this month but will push bullishly ahead nonetheless. His relationship chart with Trump is under a dark cloud at the moment, getting jangled in June.

Mueller’s relationship chart with Trump has nothing on planets (without a birth time) but looks to be undermined in April with an upheaval late April/early May.

Jeff Sessions relationship with Trump is uncertain and suspicious at the moment; will be flaring up in June and more so in July.

Donald McGahn, the White House lawyer is similarly all over the place with Trump from mid May.

John Dowd, Trump’s personal lawyer for the Russia investigation, 11 Feb 1941, born 12 days after Dick Cheney, is a heavyweight Sun Aquarius sextile Mars in Sagittarius; with the Jupiter Saturn conjunction in Taurus and Uranus also in Taurus square his Sun and trine Neptune. His relationship chart with Trump is powerfully confident with a composite Sun opposition Mars square Jupiter. There’ll be a major move perhaps with relief when tr Uranus squares the Jupiter come April. Though over-confidence could trip them up in the long run.

Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, 16 February 1971, is going full steam ahead with television interviews, claiming she has been physically threatened since making her allegations public. He’s a Sun Aquarius inconjunct Pluto and square Jupiter Neptune in Sagittarius – not short of chutzpah or determination. He looks boxed in from tomorrow onwards for a few weeks; and isn’t winning in April with tr Neptune square his Mars. He’ll buck up come July. His relationship with Trump is fraught from now onwards in a do-or-die contest of wills. Their relationship chart has a composite Mars trine Saturn and opposition Sun – with tensions running on for several years ahead.

There’ll be a crisis point with Stormy Daniels and Avenatti, come the final few days of April into mid May; and again in early 2019.

So extrapolate what you will from all that lot. Trump’s track record is not to play fair, following his early lawyer Roy Cohn’s advice ‘always be on the attack, to counterpunch whenever punched and to never apologize. Never, ever, ever apologize – even if you’re in the wrong, because your opponents will take a mile.’ When Trump and pa were sued for discriminating against black people in their housing in the 1970s, they counter-sued the Federal Government for $100 million and the case was settled without them having to admit guilt, allowing them to claim victory.

What did America do to deserve this? Theresa May is a shining saint in comparison.

Is Trump descending into a sinkhole of his own digging or beginning to find his feet and rule as he pleases? He blindsides senior staff by impromptu decisions on trade, NK and Russia, losing an economic adviser along the way, firing the Secretary of State who wouldn’t toe his line and now about to dump McMaster, who wasn’t emollient enough. The only two grown-ups left in the room, Mattis and Kelly, both look terminally depressed moving ahead.

The Administration chart is moving into new territory with tr Uranus square the midheaven at the moment and then square the Sun from mid-May onwards – so there’ll be a few jolts and surprises, abrupt changes of direction ahead. And it also has tr Pluto square the Uranus now, on and off till late 2019 which tends to make for a rocky ride.

Andrew McCabe, Deputy FBI Director, was fired just before his retirement, losing him thousands in pensions, in an act of petty spite. Which may yet blow back on Trump.

McCabe, 18 March 1968, is a Sun in Pisces opposition Uranus Pluto in Virgo and trine Neptune (Moon) in Scorpio – used to a life of constant change and upheaval, idealistic, secretive. He’s also got Mars in Aries on the focal point of a Yod to Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune (Moon). Such a dynamic Mars would suit him for high-risk jobs – he was formerly in a SWAT team, fighting against organised crime and in counter-terrorism. He will be decisive, passionate, self-willed, inclined to let his anger run away with him. Once that Yod is activated, which usually happens through a crisis, he will need to stand on his own two feet and separate out from his past.

Tr Uranus has been conjunct his Mars through 2017 and tr Pluto moves to square his Mars in 2019/2020 – so a longish period of where he will need to be self-sufficient, will be infuriated and blocked, but could cut through ultimately onto a new path. If mismanaged rash decisions can lead to self-defeat.

His Mars crashes into Trump’s Saturn Venus in Cancer, so he hits Trump where he feels vulnerable, denting his emotional self-esteem. McCabe’s Uranus Pluto squares Trump’s Sun and Moon, so he would be felt as a potential destabiliser; with McCabe’s Neptune square Trump’s Mars threatening to undermine his macho image. The relationship chart has a composite Mercury and Sun square Uranus, so on differing agendas; with Mercury opposition Neptune, trine Pluto, square Uranus – miscommunications, disagreements, evasions and outbursts. Plus a bleak composite Saturn square Pluto which may tie into the Moon. Not a match made in heaven. Their chemistry will be jangled, jolted and tense from this May onwards with tr Uranus in Taurus trine the composite Pluto and opposition Uranus; worsening through 2019 with tr Uranus conjunct Mercury; and more so in 2020 with Uranus conjunct the Sun.  It could be an exceptionally bitter and messy argument since McCabe’s accentuated Mars looks under a great deal of pressure then.

McCabe has a sticky three years ahead with disappointment, losses, dented enthusiasm and anger. Though he’ll start to bounce again come 2020/2021.

Trump does have his Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Mars, exact in three months’ time, almost certainly triggering earlier, as well as at the time – that will lead to macho gestures, bravado, a surge of adrenaline to his brain, maybe a severe shock. There’ll be upsets this year with Ivanka and Jared, probably around June. The July Cancer Solar Eclipse will cause him some headaches since it is conjunct his Saturn Venus. An Eclipse on Saturn tends to bring heavier responsibilities and guilt/blame for past actions, sometimes also for the actions of others. An Eclipse conjunct Venus brings a first-rate emotional crisis with a sense that there’s no love coming in and thus the need to stand alone; also a dent in self-image.

But I’ve always thought if he survives the Mars Uranus then 2019/2020 is when his real problems loom larger.

In 2019 he has tr Pluto starting the two year opposition to his Saturn, which is a considerable uphill struggle and highly discouraging; plus a highly-strung tr Neptune square his 10^th house Uranus; plus tr Pluto opposition two of his Mars midpoints in 2019/2020 which will make him feel caged and trapped. His Solar Return from June 2019 for a year has poleaxing Saturn Pluto opposition Mars which won’t be fun; as well as Sun square a panicky-failure Mars Neptune.

His Term chart looks exceptionally depressed in late 2019 with tr Saturn conjunct Pluto, square Jupiter and Uranus, and that runs into 2020. Early 2020 the Uranus Pluto square on his Term chart comes exact by Solar Arc which will be the most unstable time, although that is just a stronger version of tr Pluto square Uranus which is around at the moment. By mid 2020 tr Uranus will be opposing the Term Scorpio Moon for more upsets. What to remember is that the Term chart does have a strong Jupiter which brings luck even when not deserved.

PS Wiki changed its mind about McCabe’s birth date, hence changes

Ken Dodd, the zany, buck-toothed Liverpudlian comedian with a feather tickle stick in hand, has died.

“The last standing true vaudevillian – a force of nature, a whirlwind, an ambulant torrent of surreal invention, physical and verbal, whose Liverpudlian cheek masked the melancholy of an authentic clown.”

“A typical Dodd routine was finely balanced on the borderline between sanity and madness.”

“The whole experience was like plunging down a waterfall in a barrel, swept away on the tide of his boundless energy.

Born 8 November 1927 in Knotty Ash, he continued living in the house he had been born in; engaged to one partner for 22 years until she died of cancer, and then forty years with his next, whom he married two days before his death. He did move from theatre to television with success but his career was blighted by a court case where he was accused of cheating the Inland Revenue, during which he admitted to multiple off-shore bank accounts and one third of a million pounds in cash stored in his attic. He was acquitted after a five-week trial, after fellow showbiz types attested to his tireless free charity work. Though he had to pony up a hefty amount to HMRC. He was always seen as a tortured soul inside, who couldn’t separate from his parents.

He was a Sun Scorpio conjunct Mars and Mercury trine Pluto in Cancer and trine Jupiter Uranus in Pisces – so excessively private with Scorpio planets plus a Water Grand Trine. His Moon was probably in early Taurus or late Aries, maybe opposition Mars. His Venus in hard-working Virgo was opposition Uranus Jupiter, which would give him changeable emotions and perhaps a fear of abandonment.

It isn’t as hard a chart as Jimmy Savile’s, though shares certain common elements with a Scorpio Sun in hard aspect to Mars and a Water Grand Trine.

Vladimir Putin is up for re-election this Sunday and should he fail to gain an outright majority, there’ll be a second round on April 8^th. No one doubts he’ll win though he doesn’t look exactly on top form. Tr Jupiter will sextile his Mars/Node midpoint on the day which is positive but minor enough and then make a confident square to his Pluto from March 23^rd. But he picks up tr Pluto square his Neptune from March 20^th until early June, and on and off till late 2019, which can bring confusion, devastation, scandals, deception and bouts of megalomania.

Overall he’s in a mixed year with the confident tr Pluto trine Jupiter returning in July, though at the same time as tr Pluto square his Saturn/Neptune which can bring suffering, depression or illness. And the disruptive tr Pluto opposition his Uranus rolling on till late year. 2019/2020 look acutely frustrated, blocked and risky with tr Pluto conjunct his Mars/Mode midpoint.

His relationship with Merkel looks cooler than usual; with sharp words in June; and in a time of upheaval and muddle through 2018 to 2021. With Macron, he’s on a downhill slide from this May onwards for years ahead. Theresa May won’t worry him much but if anything (and she lasts) 2019 looks worse than 2018.

What’s intriguing is his relationship chart with Russia 1917 which is showing acute strain late April, May and again into 2019 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Pluto and square Sun, Mars; with more upsets in 2019. It’s less catastrophic on the relationship with the new Russia 1991 chart but still facing major panics vis a vis his domestic popularity.

If he does win outright this Sunday, he’ll take over his next presidency under the aggravated Mars, Sun, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto influences so it will be a term of rolling crises and violence.

There’s a long read in the Guardian about Putin’s politics with an alarming story about the reasons behind the brutal Second Chechen War, which according to the author was started deliberately by undercover acts of self-terrorism by FSB (ex-KGB) agents. ‘Since consolidating his power in rigged elections at the start of the decade, the Russian leader has pioneered a politics of fictional threats and invented enemies.’ No idea about its accuracy or slant but interesting.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/16/vladimir-putin-russia-politics-of-eternity-timothy-snyder

Ditto his reasons for the annexation of Crimea during the Sochi Olympics to cover up domestic corruption.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/03/26/crimea-putins-olympic-diversion/?utm_term=.3e0017056aaa

Putin’s chart is similar to that of the hunchback King Richard 111 of England who allegedly has his two young nephews bumped off.

Donald Trump Jnr is to divorce his wife of 12 years, ex-model Vanessa, mother of their five children. According to reports he is unhappy about the level of scrutiny his life and deals bring now that he is first son; and she disliked the invasive security and risk that their role brought.

They were born only two weeks apart, she on December 18 and he December 31 1977. He’s am ambitious Sun Venus in Capricorn with a Virgo Moon; while she is a Sun Venus in Sagittarius with an Aries Moon. He Earth, she Fire – so different temperaments. Both have flamboyant Mars in Leo, in his case inconjunct his Sun which is in turn square Pluto and trine Saturn. So he’s quite ratchety and probably controlling or at least defensive. Both have their North Node in Libra, so one-to-one relationships not that easy for them.

Their relationship chart is reasonably OK with an affectionate composite Sun, Mercury Venus opposition Jupiter and trine Saturn. Jupiter brings love of the high life and indulgence; Saturn is enduring. There’s also an explosive composite Mars square Uranus which both have natally so neither will be good at compromise. Tr Saturn last year and this has been trailing across several planets and there would have been increased pressure since the 2016 election.