Commemorations have been held for the Aberfan disaster, which occurred fifty years ago, on 21 October 1966 when a catastrophic slip of colliery mining waste in Wales – thousands of tonnes of liquefied slurry – overwhelmed a junior school at 9.15am, killing 116 children and 28 adults. Coal miners from surrounding areas played a vital role during the rescue operation, many being called from their shifts underground to help. A later report found the National Coal Board guilty of ‘bungling ineptitude’.

It happened with tr Saturn opposing tr Uranus Pluto, though not exactly. Saturn in Pisces fell in the 5^th house of children. Mars in the 10^th was = Neptune/Pluto which Ebertin describes as ‘grievous loss’. And Uranus was sitting exactly on the hard aspect to the Saturn/Pluto midpoint which is sudden violence and is associated with mass deaths.

On the UK 1801 chart the Solar Arc Pluto was exactly opposition (to within a 12^th of a degree) to the UK Venus in the 5^th house of children. There was national anguish over the tragedy. Tr Pluto was exactly sextile the UK Cancer Moon with tr Saturn exactly square the UK Solar Arc Sun – intense feelings and a sombre time. Tr Jupiter, being contrary as usual, was just over the conjunction to the UK Jupiter; though exactly square the Solar Arc Neptune, which accompanies political scandals and instability (amongst other things).

The Solar Eclipse three weeks later, set for Aberfan, had an 8^th house Scorpio New Moon trine Saturn Ascendant and sextile a ferocious collection of Mars Pluto Uranus on the Descendant, which fits.

The Wales 3 March 1284 JC chart (to be treated with caution as all ancient charts) had the tr Uranus Pluto straddling an opposition to the Wales Pisces Sun Venus; with tr Pluto also sextile the Wales Uranus Mars – so also a reasonably descriptive of a horrific event and loss.

Europe’s Schiaparelli lander is feared to have crashed onto the surface of Mars at catastrophic speed when it attempted to land, with the parachute jettisoning early and the retrorockets switching off too soon. It is part of ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars), a two-part astrobiology project, a joint mission between Europe and Russia, which is searching for evidence of life, past and present on Mars and investigating how the Martian water and geochemical environment varies. This first part, placed an atmospheric probe into Mars orbit and released the stationary lander. If the robot is confirmed as lost, it will be a major blow. But officials say it will give the learning experience to go ahead with the landing on Mars of an ambitious six-wheeled rover in 2020/1.

The ExoMars Trace Orbiter mothership launched on 14 March 2016 9.31am UT Baikonur, Russia which gives a very Mutable chart with a Pisces Sun opposition Jupiter North Node square Saturn in Sagittarius; and a Gemini Moon opposition Mars (Saturn) square Venus Neptune (Mercury) opposition Jupiter. And an unpredictable Uranus on the Midheaven square Pluto in the engineering 6^th. Good may come out of it since there’s also a Pluto trine Jupiter – but the Eclipses and tr Saturn square tr Neptune are playing havoc with all those mutable planets for several years ahead.  Exactly now, tr Neptune is square Mars/Saturn, which is bad news; and tr Saturn is conjunct Jupiter/Neptune and Sun/Venus which suggest disappointment and loss. Such a shame after that lovely Jupiter probe.

Jared Kushner, 10 January 1981, husband of Ivanka Trump, has been called Donald Trump, his father-in-law’s de facto campaign manager. He is the eldest son of the billionaire real estate developer Charles Kushner who spent two years in prison for tax evasion, witness tampering, and corruption-related charges, after a bust-up with Charles’ siblings who gave evidence; and was visited weekly when inside by his son. Both father and son blame the press for unfair treatment, so wholesale denial seems to be an extended family trait. Jared has interests in the media, as well as real estate, buying an upmarket New York paper, which he professed to find boring to read, and has run through a succession of editors. He is Jewish, as is Ivanka now (I think).

Jared is a Sun Capricorn square Pluto, hence the close relationship with and loyalty to his father. His Mars in Aquarius is trine Jupiter Saturn in Libra so he has a hard-edge though also an enthusiastic and adventurous streak.

He doesn’t look happy at all at the moment with tr Neptune in confidence-denting squares to his Mars/Jupiter and Mars/Saturn midpoints until Jan 2017 and a plans-not-working tr Pluto conjunct Mars/Neptune until Dec 2016; with a final unsettling tr Uranus square his Sun in Dec/Jan 2017. He looks set for a few stressful years ahead with tr Uranus opposition his Pluto and then tr Pluto conjunct his Sun in 2018/19. His business buying of property has not always been sound.

His relationship with Donald is not remotely easy or harmonious, despite appearances to the contrary. Jared’s Mars opposes Donald’s Pluto and Jared’s Uranus squares Donald’s Mars; J’s Sun opposes D’s Saturn; and J’s Saturn is conjunct D’s Neptune – that all adds up to simmering power-struggles and hostility; tensions which will explode from time to time; differing attitudes to money with J’s more practical Saturn clashing with D’s vague and careless Neptune; and D being critical of J and putting him down.

Their relationship chart does have a superficial, sociable friendliness with a composite Sun opposition Venus Jupiter but there’s a fair whack of insincerity wrapped up in that. There’s also an ego-clashing, non-mutually-supportive composite Mars Neptune which is additionally in a tricky sextile to Pluto. It’ll be very stuck between them late Nov into Dec this year; with heavy pressures, strain and arguments from Jan 2017 onwards.

Jared’s relationship with Ivanka looks under disappointing influences with tr Saturn conjunct the composite Sun exactly now and tr Neptune squaring that Sun through 2017.

All three of Jared and Ivanka’s children (birth data on astro.com) have their Sun and Moon in uncomfortable dissonance – Cancer Sun with Aquarius Moon; Aries Sun Scorpio Moon; Libra Sun Pisces Moon. Two of them (birth data being sound) have Uranus in the 8^th, hinting at a maverick grandfather. Two have squabbling Mars in the 3^rd house of siblings.

Michelle Obama is getting good press as she nears the end of her marathon in the White House, for her dignified and horrified speech about those making derogatory remarks about women (mentioning no names), for her strong fashion choices in wearing what she likes; and in coming across as warm human being and a hugger.

There’s no birth time, more’s the pity, except for a tentative 1.56am 17 Jan 1964 Chicago. In some ways she has quite a hard chart with a Capricorn Sun and Mars Saturn in Aquarius (not conjunct) and maybe a Moon in Aquarius; plus a rebellious Mercury in Capricorn trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo. What will give her a softer side is Venus in Pisces possibly conjunct her Moon; and Jupiter in Aries on the point of a T square to Mercury opposition North Node in Cancer. Such a Jupiter can be an enlightened social leader, an excellent teacher and a spokesperson for the collective.

Quite what she’ll carry forward from her Presidential years isn’t clear though 2017 will certainly be a time of major change with tr Uranus squaring her Sun – not all of it without argument from her midpoint transits.

She has been outspoken in her support of Hillary Clinton, though it’s not the easiest of relationships with a composite Uranus opposition Jupiter square Mars Neptune – so OK sometimes, and aggravated at others; with a chained-together and having to accept-it Saturn square Pluto.

The interface doesn’t look friendly at all from mid this month till just before the election with tr Saturn conjunct the composite Mercury Sun; and definitely undermined in 2017 with tr Neptune squaring those two planets.

Barack Obama’s relationship with Hillary also looks disappointing from now till January with tr Neptune opposition the composite Venus (birth times being sound); and very unsettled in 2017 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Neptune and square Uranus; as well as tr Saturn square the composite Sun Mercury. So if Hillary does get in, she may take policies he disagrees with.

Defeating ISIS in the Middle East could have a blowback as some of their jihadists will return to Europe. Even a small number could cause a serious threat according to the EU’s Security Commissioner. ISIS have already lost a quarter of their territory in Syria and Iraq and are (maybe) on the brink of losing Mosul.

The ISIS 15 Oct 2006 chart does show increasing pressures continuing on from 2016’s tr Uranus opposition Venus Sun and Mars through 2017; with tr Pluto joining in to square the Venus. Though they can’t be written off overnight. Tr Pluto sextile the Jupiter in 2018/19 looks suspiciously upbeat, though by that time tr Pluto will be square their Libra Sun. It might take till 2020 when tr Pluto will be square the Mars.

The EU’s relationship chart with ISIS is inherently stressed and disruptive with a composite Yod of Pluto (Saturn) sextile Neptune inconjunct Uranus. That is being jolted this year and into Jan 2017 by tr Uranus opposition the composite Saturn; and more so in 2018/19 as tr Uranus opposes the composite Pluto; with an almighty upheaval come 2021/2 as tr Pluto is trine the focal point Uranus.

With the world (and chunks of the USA) looking on aghast at the depths to which Donald Trump has dragged the Presidential election, I’ve been pondering on where he gets his contempt for women, other races, tendency to wild conspiracy theories and total inability to lose with dignity, opting instead for a scorched earth, pull-the-whole-shebang-down wrecking policy.

His father Fred Trump was a real estate developer, investigated for profiteering from public contracts and for civil rights violations. There is some evidence that he was a Klu Klux Klan member in his 20s and he refused to rent his apartments to black people even in the face of a US Justice Department demand. So shameless brass-necking is a family trait. Described as ‘showboating self-promoter’, FredT ruled the family with a firm fist and evidently Donald still yearns for his approval. [See: goo.gl/gbLDZZ]. So failure means losing the patriarch’s respect will be one part of the puzzle.

Fred Trump, 11 Oct 1905, was undoubtedly a cold, tough nut with a Libra Sun trine Pluto trine Saturn; and a volatile, risk-taking Mars Uranus in money-oriented Capricorn in a can-be fanatical and publicity-seeking opposition to Neptune. FredT’s Pluto is conjunct Donald’s Sun and FredT’s Sun is conjunct Donald’s 2^nd house Jupiter – so Fred would be very controlling and give Donald his interest in making money.

In many ways, his mother, Mary Trump, 10 May 1912 4am Tong, Scotland, was just as strong an influence, with her obstinately determined Saturn Sun in Taurus conjunct Donald’s MC – she would be critical, a disciplinarian in a different way and probably set him exacting and overly-high standards. Her Saturn squared an Aquarius Moon so she would hardly be an emotional marshmallow. Both Her Saturn and Moon hard aspect Donald’s over-bearing Mars in Leo on the Ascendant as indeed does Fred’s Saturn in Aquarius. So both parents would leave him with a hair-trigger temper and a tendency to lash back when his ego was being threatened.

FredT’s relationship chart with Mary has an explosive composite Mars opposition Saturn square Uranus opposition Neptune Venus – suggesting unkind if not cruel treatment. So Donald would grow up in a home where there was open warfare or at least very destructive undercurrents.

The other pointer in Donald’s chart is a 10^th house Sun (and Uranus) which suggests someone who was programmed to fulfil his (unpredictable) mother’s ambitions but who will have struggled through life to understand who he is for himself. Or maybe not, since he doesn’t seem to have much insight.

Clearly he’s picked up his father’s racist attitudes and digested the male-female conflict in his childhood home. Men who put down women and treat them as sex objects are most often terrified of their mother and any relationship which they can’t buy or control. Their contempt is one way of mustering up a false sense of superiority.

His inability to lose without blaming the whole world is certainly a sign of a fragile ego, which fears implosion – and the destructive criticism of parents on whose approval he has created his own shaky sense of self. The conspiracy paranoia certainly hooks into the zeitgeist of the moment but is also an indication of very early childhood damage – the fear of being totally powerless in the face of mysterious, authoritarian others who are pulling the strings.

Deeyah Khan is an award-winning Norwegian film maker and activist for women’s rights,  freedom of expression and peace, of Punjabi-Pashtun origin, who recently made a documentary about why young Muslims go to war as jihadists.

Born in Oslo on 7 August 1977 she’s a serious though attention-seeking Sun Saturn in Leo; with her Sun on the focal point of a courageous, ultra-determined Mars in communicative Gemini trine Pluto. Her Sun is also in a rebellious square to Uranus and a creative trine to Neptune. So plenty of vision and power there.

Her Mars opposes Neptune squaring onto Mercury in Virgo so she’s well-suited to showbiz and publicity though always wanting to communicate a message.

She started out as a singer, encouraged by her father, but stopped after receiving death threats from Muslims outraged at her performing in public and decided to turn her talents to helping others constrained by their community. Her first documentary on honour killings won her an Emmy and is used worldwide as a training guide for police and social services.

Publicising her recent documentary on jihadists she talked of the “goofiness and stupidity” of it. One former extremist calls a gun a “penis extension” and describes radicalism as a form of machismo, a way to get women. “It’s the kind of men who feel emasculated — small, pathetic, weak. It allows them a hyper-masculinity because masculinity and violence are so closely linked in our societies. They can put on this persona: ‘I’m a holy warrior. You don’t respect me but you’re afraid of me.’”

Can a playboy prince, with a rackety reputation, three failed marriages and an explosive temper take the place of his revered, steady-hand-on-the-tiller father? That’s a question perplexing the upper echelons of Thailand’s military junta government. Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born 28 July 1952 5.45 pm Bangkok, Thailand, made his pet poodle an Air Chief Marshal in the Thai air force and gave him a four day Buddhist funeral when he died. Lacks a certain gravitas.

He has a sociable 7^th house Sun Venus and Pluto in the 7^th; with his Pluto on the focal point of an indulgent and fearsome Fixed T Square to a Jupiter in Taurus opposition Mars in vengeful Scorpio. After his third divorce, he had his ex-wife’s parents thrown in jail.

His 9^th house Libra Moon is conjunct Saturn and Neptune, sextile Pluto Venus and square Uranus so emotionally all over the place.

Common sense would indicate that his sister, well-regarded for her charity work, succeed instead. But his father said it would go against the culture (indulgent 4^th house Jupiter?) so despite reservations he thought the senior son, however whacky and unstable should be crowned.

Prince Maha’s life is certainly in for a major change with tr Pluto opposition his Uranus at the moment; and with his Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Descendant he might just step up – for a while anyway though he’s delayed his coronation for a year. Tr Uranus however heading for his IC by 2018 and his Solar Arc Sun conjunct his Saturn by 2019 might put the brakes on his ambitions to step seamlessly into his father’s shoes and vast wealth.

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Bob Dylan, has been – extraordinarily and probably controversially – given the Nobel Prize for Literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. His songs include Blowin’ in the Wind and The Times They are A-Changin’. He is the first American to win since novelist Toni Morrison in 1993. One commentator likened it to give Henry Kissinger the  Nobel Peace Prize.

Born 24 May 1941 9.05pm Duluth, Minnesota, Dylan has had a decades-long career and is still performing – in Las Vegas this week. He is a Sun Venus in Gemini, a common sign amongst popular singers, with the Sun conjunct Jupiter in Taurus, all in the 6^th house of work and service; as well as conjunct Uranus in the 5^th. He’s got a stellium in Taurus – Saturn Moon Uranus in the performing 5^th plus Jupiter, all in an inspired, creative trine to Neptune and North Node in Virgo. His Mercury in Gemini conjunct his Descendant makes him a communicator; and Pluto in his 8^th sextile his Sun gives him depth and the ability to influence widely. His Sun also squares a 3^rd house Mars in Pisces, so he is assertive, can be get angry about issues.

His super-star 22^nd Harmonic is strong; as oddly enough is his literary 21H; and that curious 13^th Harmonic. ‘This number is associated with exploration, genius and breaking with the orthodox. It warns against the unknown and the unexpected. It requires adaptation to change to be successful.’ The secretary of the Swedish Academy said “For 54 years now he’s been at it reinventing himself, constantly creating a new identity.”

At the moment his Solar Arc Saturn is almost exactly conjunct his 8^th house Pluto, which looks stuck rather than elated. But tr Jupiter is heading for his midheaven and 10^th from this December which will boost his reputation.