The Middle East is on tenterhooks, anticipating what comes next after a series of shock moves by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His sudden purge imprisoned high ranking Saudi princes and businessmen, and blew one out of the air while trying to escape by helicopter. He appears to have forced the Lebanon PM to resign on a specious excuse, it is thought as a way of moving against Lebanon-based Hezbollah who are funded by Iran. He is cosying up to Israel’s Netanyahu as an unlikely ally, possibly with an eye to getting Israel to fight a Lebanon war for him. Macron has shot across to Riyadh to argue support for Lebanon, since the French were formerly the colonial overlords.

His reckless and failed war in the Yemen, seen as a proxy dispute with Iran, has cost Saudi Arabia many billions and is not only unwinnable it has been inhumanely destructive, resulting in the worst outbreak of cholera in modern history, with a million cases expected by the end of the year and at least 600,000 children likely to be affected. Now he has blocked access to airports, seaports and land crossings into Yemen, which could bring millions of people closer to “starvation and death.” At the moment about two-thirds of Yemen’s population relies on imported supplies. 20 million people need humanitarian assistance, including seven million facing “famine-like” conditions.

And Bin Salman is best buddies with Jared Kushner with Trump as his cheer leader, who supported his earlier moves against Qatar and Al Jazeera.

Both Iran country charts, 1906 and 1979 look in for an uncertain, undermining two to three years ahead. With 2019 showing up for them, and on many of the regional relationship charts, as the key stress point, when the warlike tr Saturn Pluto conjunction is in place.

The détente between MbS and Netanyahu may not survive 2018, but that could be because of political changes in Israel. Israel and Saudi Arabia are not natural allies with a composite Sun opposition Uranus and a power-playing Pluto opposition Jupiter in their relationship chart. That link will be undergoing radical changes through 2018/19; with later 2018 and 2019 especially looking hugely unsettled and less than enamoured as time wears on.

Add on: Hezbollah has strengthened in recent years through the Syria War, backed by Iran, and improved its weaponry. Founded 16 February 1985, a few months before MbS, it has the same confidently-pushy Jupiter in Aquarius square Pluto in Scorpio, with Pluto trine a late Aquarius Sun, sextiling onto Neptune – a force to be reckoned with. The Sun Mercury are on the focal point of a Fixed T Square to Saturn in obsessive Scorpio opposition a Taurus North Node – strong self-belief and not inclined to give way. Plus a pro-active, excitable Venus Mars in Aries in a high-adrenaline trine to Uranus.

That chart will have an uptick at times through 2018, though moments of deep uncertainty at the start and finish of the year. But looks completely floored in 2019 with Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Neptune and Solar Arc Sun square Neptune; and a total-disruption tr Uranus opposition Pluto.

The relationship chart with Saudi Arabia look bumpy now and early 2018; with more obvious pressures and differences in 2019/2020.

The Hezbollah/MbS relationship chart gets more panicked from April 2018 onwards; with a sharp deterioration in 2019.

The Yemen is one proxy war; Syria was another with Russia pitching in its tuppence worth along with the Iranians for Bashar Assad. So the real risk is that the rest of the world will get drawn into yet another Middle East maelstrom which purports to be about the Sunni/Shia split but is in reality about territorial power plays.

Donald Trump’s penchant for dictator-chic is being well-nourished by a glitzy state welcome in China, though that’s likely to fall foul of North Korea and trade wars. This December/January look pretty explosive between Xi Jinping and DT; with a fast downhill slide through 2018.

Today’s FT, sadly behind a paywall, has an excoriating piece by Edward Luce pointing out how much of Trump’s foreign policy inclinations are dictated not just by his love of autocratic rulers but also by his family’s interests which are well-fed by these wily despots. Xi Jinping approved a flurry of trademarks for Ivanka before his visit to Mar-a-Lago; and the first donors to the Ivanka-inspired Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative were Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with a $100m grant.

Trump’s praise for the thrusting young Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, close buddy so we are told of Jared Kushner, is causing concern, since it allies the US firmly with the Sunni side of the Islamic religious split with the Shias. The mega-billion dollar arms deal which Trump trumpeted recently had been in the pipeline for a long time and in any event according to a former CIA official was as close to a ‘fake deal’ as it comes. Trump neither knows nor cares about Middle Eastern stability. All he cares about is trashing Obama’s legacy by wrecking the Iran deal.

Bin Salman may have all the chutzpah, muscle and gold that Trump likes, but it’s a relationship that could and probably will turn sour. Both have Mars in Leo, which could easily turn competitive and worse MBS’s utterly determined Saturn in Scorpio square is conjunct Trump’s Mars; and MbS’s very boosted-up Jupiter opposes Trump’s Pluto, so there will be a power-play going on. Their relationship chart does have a friendly composite Sun Venus Mercury, but that is getting upended by tr Uranus in square through next spring and onwards; with a disappointing tr Neptune square the composite Jupiter and opposing Uranus.

Jared’s relationship with MbS has a composite Sun Mars, which can be dynamic if pulling together or highly combative when agendas diverge. Again next April onwards sees that one coming apart at the seams.

Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples will run for re-election in 2018, facing voters for the first time since her protest against gay marriage launched a national uproar from rural Appalachia. At that point she switched from Democrat to Republican.

Born 17 September 1965, she’s a Sun Virgo square Jupiter in Gemini; with Uranus Mercury Pluto also in Virgo opposition Saturn in Pisces probably square a Gemini Moon. Excitable, opinionated, erratic in her views with Mercury Uranus Pluto – and very stubborn. A bleak Moon square Saturn Uranus Pluto -warping her emotional outlook. She also has an intense, hostile and unrelenting Mars Neptune in Scorpio conjunction, with Venus also in Scorpio. Not dissimilar to Bashar Assad of Syria, born a week earlier.

There’s nothing ahead for her that looks remotely cheerful. Tr Saturn is square her Sun now and opposing her Jupiter this December. Into 2018 tr Neptune is conjunct her Saturn in January, then opposes her Uranus Pluto Mercury from mid 2018 onwards; plus two devastating Pluto squares to her Sun/Mars and Sun/Neptune midpoints from early 2018 to late 2019. Wining or more likely losing an election may be the least of her worries.

Could we be about to see the dissolution of the Rupert Murdoch empire that took decades to assemble? Investors have been stunned to see him explore a break-up of 21st Century Fox and discuss the sale of prime film and television assets, Fox’s prized movie studio, cable channels and international investments such as Sky. One such deal has fallen but others are likely to be in the pipeline. He has even talked of closing down Sky News if UK regulators block a proposed takeover by Fox, which he is pushing for. All very byzantine but it is shaking the financial world.

Murdoch senior, 11 March 1931 11.55pm Melbourne, Australia is now 86 so will be wanting to slow down. Plus he has tr Saturn heading for his Capricorn Ascendant from this year-end which will accelerate the process as old ambitions lose their fire. Tr Pluto is also opposing his Pluto and in 2018/19 conjunct his Saturn which looks like an almighty struggle, with an overtone of financial shortages (all relative, of course). He’s largely in the legacy (old) media business which is under increasing pressure from the new internet media and streamers like Netflix. He’s getting a fair jolt financially in March 2018 with tr Uranus square his 8^th house Mars; and nothing good thereafter.

Son James, 13 December 1972, looks fairly flattened by the next three or four years with tr Neptune square his Saturn in Gemini from mid 2018 for eighteen months, and continuing on to conjunct his Sun/Saturn, then square his Sun; with a total upheaval in 2019/2020.

The relationship between them is being jolted, jangled and separated over the next three years.

Who’d have thought it? A 20th Century dinosaur about to shed its  mammoth coat.

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Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel Studio’s third blockbuster based on the comic superhero Thor (Norse god of thunder) has opened to record box office, rolling in $425 million worldwide in its first few days. Critics have praised it as the best so far.

A stellar cast is headed by Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, and includes Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Anthony Hopkins amongst others.

Chris Hemsworth, 11 Aug 1983, Melbourne, Australia, is a Sun Leo; with a fierce and fiery Mars in Cancer square Saturn Pluto and trine Jupiter Neptune. He spent chunks of his childhood out in the outback with buffalo and crocodiles, which would prepare him for action-man roles. He looks set for a mega-success after this in 2018 when his Solar Arc Pluto is conjunct his Jupiter, so another successful Thor under his belt will propel him even higher. Next year he stars in Marvel’s Avengers Infinity Wars with another planned for the following year.

Tom Hiddleston, 9 Feb 1981, is a Sun Venus in Aquarius, with a softer Mars in Pisces though it does sit in a high-octane square to Uranus. He has an idealistic Jupiter Saturn in Libra so will appreciate being able to intersperse his blockbusters with more serious roles. He looks on a high at the moment; though is facing a trickier 2018/19.

The director Taiki Waititi, 16 August 1975, who is credited with making this the best Thor so far, is a Sun Leo trine Jupiter in Aries – confident, lucky and flamboyant. Jupiter is opposition Uranus square Saturn so he’s adventurous, risk-taking and has executive ability. Plus a determined Mars in Gemini trine Pluto in a showbizzy opposition to Neptune. He’s well designed for the entertainment business and tough enough to handle stratospheric movies. He’s on a roll now with tr Uranus conjunct his Jupiter and even more so around 2020 when tr Pluto squares his Jupiter.

Principal Photography started on 4 July 2016 Gold Coast, Australia when there was a successful, confident and lucky Jupiter trine Pluto; with a charmingly influential Sun Venus in Cancer (for the family) opposition Pluto.

A third UK Cabinet embarrassment is erupting fury this week as it emerges that Priti Patel, the international development secretary, broke the ministerial code of conduct by having a dozen unofficial meetings with Israeli government officials, including PM Netanyahu, while she was on holiday in Israel. Then it turns out she was exploring ways to give aid money to the Israeli army to support their humanitarian operations in occupied parts of the Golan Heights, which the UK does not recognise, so would contravene UK policy.

Memo: Fallon, Defence Secretary fell on his sword over ‘inappropriate’ behaviour a few days back; and Boris Johnson is in deep sileage over the Iranian foul up (see previous post).

Patel, born 29 March 1972, London, is an outspoken Tory right-winger, supports the tobacco and alcohol industries, voted against the same-sex marriage bill and is a member of the Friends of Israel.

She’s a Sun Mercury in Aries with her Sun trine Neptune, and opposition Pluto (Moon) in Libra square Jupiter in Capricorn – certainly not short of chutzpah or ambition. Though she may be forced to resign over this. She has a cool Air Grand Trine of Pluto trine North Node trine Mars Saturn, with the last opposition Neptune, giving her a love of publicity and making her hard-edged. Obviously talented but inclined to leap before she looks and cut corners.

Her Venus in Taurus is conjunct the Israel Sun, as is her Solar Arc Sun at the moment – as she hits her Israeli moment. And her relationship chart with Israel has an Earth Grand Trine of Pluto trine Jupiter trine composite Sun – she will feel strong ties and an opportunity for advancement.

Theresa May evidently gave her a rollicking but she can’t afford to lose too many more cabinet ministers before even her slippery Neptunian government collapses.

Bumbling Boris, the UK Foreign Secretary, could well have condemned an Iranian-British woman, Nazanin Zhagari-Ratcliffe, to a longer prison sentence by not reading his brief with care. In parliament in a belated attempt to put pressure on the Iranian government he said she had been teaching journalists in Teheran when in fact she had been on holiday visiting her parents with her daughter. She was arrested early last year on specious spying charges, it is thought as political leverage against the UK government. As per usual the UK Foreign Office to date have been their usual limp-wristed selves about ratcheting up pressure to have her released. Now Boris opens his mouth and makes the situation immeasureably worse.

She’s been in prison now for 18 months, the first half in solitary confinement which sent her into advanced depression. This weekend, she was taken to an unscheduled court hearing in Iran where Mr Johnson’s comments were cited as proof of her guilt. She now faces new charges of spreading propaganda against Iran and has been threatened with another five years in prison – on top of her existing five-year sentence.

Born 16 September 1978 she’s a Sun Virgo square Neptune, with Saturn Mercury in Virgo sextile Venus Uranus in Scorpio – hard-working, communicative, idealistic. Although she’ll get two minor pieces of good news early next year, it doesn’t look great through 2018/19 with tr Pluto square her Mars/Pluto midpoint; and tr Neptune opposing her Sun/Saturn and Mars/Jupiter midpoints – scared, trapped, extremely anxious and discouraged. She might be more heartened in gradual stages in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto trine her Uranus/Jupiter midpoint which could bring a lucky break.

Boris, 19 June 1964 2pm New York, US, looks equally disheartened and trapped ahead, though no doubt in more comfortable surroundings. His problem is his afflicted Mars in Gemini on the point of a T Square to Uranus (Pluto) in Virgo opposition Saturn, which tends to send him off like a scattergun in all directions at once – disorganised, inconsistent, rarely achieving much since he lacks focus.

Tr Neptune is opposing his Pluto till January, undermining his power with a downbeat tr Saturn opposition his Sun Venus in Gemini this December. Also in this December tr Pluto is in a catastrophe strewn square to his Mars/Saturn into early January 2018; and is followed by an even more destructive tr Pluto opposing his Mars/Uranus in Jan/Feb (repeating till late 2018), followed by tr Pluto opposition Mars/Pluto from Feb on and off till late 2019. Plus an undermining, failed-plans tr Neptune square his Sun/Mars from mid 2018 to end of 2019.

Theresa May no doubt dropped him in the Foreign Office assuming constant travel would keep him off her pitch and not stoking up trouble from the backbenches. In the process she’s made the UK even more of a laughing stock globally and done real damage to Nazanin Zhagari-Ratcliffe.

Revelations about the Queen’s private finances in the Paradise Papers, a massive leak about the offshore holdings of mega-wealthy individuals and conglomerates, will send a shiver of horror through Windsor Castle. Around £10 million of her money has been invested in Caribbean boltholes much beloved of money-launderers and tax evaders. She does not manage the Duchy of Lancaster’s investments, pays tax voluntarily on any income and there appear to be no tax advantages from investing offshore. But perception is all where Royal finances are concerned. Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodges said: ‘I think the Queen herself would be completely shocked to find her advisers have used tax havens in which to invest their money and that her reputation has been sullied by the actions of the tax advisers’.

What’s intriguing, astrologically speaking, is that HMQ’s chart relocated to the Cayman Islands, puts her dutiful Saturn in Scorpio on the Ascendant, threatening to damp her image; and puts Pluto in the 8^th house of hidden finances.

This year tr Neptune has been conjunct her 2^nd house Venus in Pisces this year, and continues on and off to late 2018 – an undermining time where it comes to money. With tr Saturn moving later this month to square her 2^nd house Uranus for a jolt or two. She certainly looks in a thoroughly bad humour this month with tr Saturn square her Sun/Mars, Sun/Jupiter and Sun/Neptune midpoints so will regard the scandal as a setback.

Another week, another mass killing. 26 died at a Texas Church yesterday with several injured in the worst mass shooting in the state’s history. The perpetrator appears to be Devin Kelley, with a Texas birth record of 12 February 1991, former US Air Force, who was imprisoned and dishonourably discharged for assaulting his wife and child. He seems to have been religious at one point but turned atheist according to his recent social media postings. Two local residents followed him escaping, ran him off the road and shot him.

Like the New York Truck attack, the Fire Grand Trine was in place, formed into a Kite by the emotionally excitable Uranus opposition Venus. Who’d have thought Venus would have such a negative effect? Indulgent and frivolous yes, undoubtedly selfish. But here acting as vengeful Venus, it is operating on the vindictive plane described in the old mythologies. Jealousy and the desire for retribution are all part of the Venusian playbook. She hates being slighted.

Jupiter, as ever playing its wild card in disasters, was conjunct the midheaven, as it was at 9/11 at which point Venus was also opposition Uranus then as well on the focal point of a Kite to an Air Grand Trine.

The shooter, Devin Kelley, is a controlling and stubborn Sun Aquarius square Pluto; with the highly-strung Uranus Neptune in Capricorn of his generation; and a hard-edged, short-tempered Mars in Gemini trine Mercury, Saturn and maybe an Aquarius Moon. Starkman has a rectified birthtime of 17.51 hrs for a Hays, Texas birth place – this would put a high-tension-family Pluto on the IC; with ambitious and argumentative Mars in the 10^th. The volatile Uranus Neptune would be in the 5^th and that plus a Leo Ascendant would prompt him to demand the spotlight in however erratic a way. His dependent Sun in 7^th also chimes with an intense Venus in Pisces in the 8^th trine Pluto, sextile Neptune (Uranus). Relationships would be a key focus for him. It makes marginally more sense than the previous birth date.

His can-be-mentally-unbalanced 7^th harmonic is heavily aspected, with an explosive Sun Mars linked to Pluto Uranus and Neptune. And his 18H, notable amongst serial killers [See August 29 2017 post], links Pluto to Mars Sun Moon; and also to Saturn Neptune.