Rex Tillerson, chief executive of Exxon Mobil, has been nominated for US secretary of state. Though his confirmation hearing is likely to be a rocky given his close ties to Russia, his deliberate downplaying of climate change and various controversial oil deals in Canada, Northern Iraq and associations with countries abroad with poor human rights records.

Born 23 March 1952 in Wichita Falls, Texas, he’s an upfront, pro-active Sun Aries with a fearsomely determined and ruthless Pluto square Mars in Scorpio; and a confident, pushy Jupiter in Aries trine Pluto. A big personality. His Sun opposes Saturn in Libra squaring onto an innovative/divisive Uranus in Cancer. With his Jupiter Mercury in Aries in a high-finance opposition to Neptune.

His Sun, Mercury and Jupiter fall in Trump’s 8^th so a strong financial connection. His Venus Moon in Pisces are in Trump’s 7^th which is good for a friendly connection/partnership. Though his Mars Pluto square does rather tangle with Trump’s Mars Pluto. It’ll be a robust working association with Tillerson bluntly straight talking, making unexpected suggestions about new experimental approaches.

Their relationship chart is friendly with a composite Sun Venus though that squares Pluto, which will be a tight connection at the start, moving into power struggles about who gets the last word. There’s also a non-mutually supportive composite Mars Neptune, which suggests egos will get in the way. Two alpha males. There’s nothing much ruffling the relationship chart (without a birth time) apart from an overly confident tr Pluto opposition Jupiter in 2017/18 which may generate too much confidence between them, leading to brash decisions.

He’s an easier fit for Trump than Gary Cohn, President of Goldman Sachs, who’s been handed the job of director of the National Economic Council, which has a key role in policymaking, and does not require Senate confirmation.

Cohn, 27 Aug 1960 New York, is an intense Sun Mercury Pluto in Virgo in a tough trine to Saturn in Capricorn, sextile Neptune (Moon) in Scorpio. [Born four days before Hassan Nasrullah, head of Hezbollah.]

Cohn also has a gung-ho Jupiter in Sagittarius opposition Mars in Gemini square Venus in Virgo.

Cohn’s Jupiter is conjunct Trump’s Moon which will help; but his Mars is conjunct Trump’s 10^th house Uranus and his Uranus is conjunct Trump’s Mars – so a definite clash of agendas and egos.

Their relationship chart has an explosively volatile composite Sun Mars Uranus square Neptune Saturn, trine Jupiter; with Jupiter square Pluto Venus. So huge amount of game-playing and competitiveness in there. It’ll probably start nice with Venus Jupiter Pluto and deteriorate. Mind you almost from square one since tr Uranus will square the composite Mars in February with a discouraging tr Pluto square the composite Saturn at the same time, running on and off for two years. I suspect that one won’t last the full term.

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The Electors meet in their own states on December 19^th to cast their votes for President and Vice President. These have to be delivered by Dec 28^th to the Senate; there’s a meeting on Jan 3^rd; and another on January 6^th when votes are counted in Congress.

While it seems unthinkable that any rebellion amongst the Electors could overturn what was a considerable win for Trump of 306 to Clinton’s 232, these are bizarre times. And both Trump’s chart and the USA 1776 do indicate serious setbacks over this period. See previous post on Trump facing Saturn, Dec 1 below.

The 19^th sees Mercury going retrograde/stationary at 10.54 am UT till January 8^th.  Tr Saturn will oppose the USA Mars at 21 Gemini from Dec 29 to Jan 5^th; and then squares the US Neptune from January 5^th to 15^th. So anger, confusion, panic, a collision.

Trump, of course, has tr Saturn conjunct his Moon and then opposition his Sun from Dec 29 to Jan 15. Both of which will be deflating.

Not only is the Clinton vote 2.5 million more than Trump; there’s now a major rumpus about the Russians interfering in the election to favour Trump, releasing Democrat hacked info while holding back Republican material. And the Republican FBI chief is being accused of damaging Clinton with allegations which he later retracted as unfounded two days before the election.

All an unholy mess as Trump continues to favour as nominees precisely the fat cats he accused Clinton of cosying up to.

Prince Andrew has issued what the press are calling ‘an extraordinary public statement’ denying there is any rift between himself and Prince Charles over the status of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. He is upset at recent press reports that he wants his daughters’ future husbands to be given earldoms and said the stories were “completely made up”.

It’s no secret the two brothers were never close and recent steps to slim down the Monarchy to the heir and his family have not gone down well with Prince Andrew, nor did the removal of expensive protection officers for the two girls.

Andrew and Charles’s relationship chart has an aggravated, argumentative, competitive composite Sun Mercury Mars conjunction in a cool sextile to Saturn; with the composite Moon square Saturn – so not remotely amiable or friendly.

There’s not much showing at the moment except on midpoints, though their relationship will continue to be tense through 2017. Where it starts to get really sticky is from late in 2017 and through 2018 and beyond as tr Saturn moves across the composite Descendant and starts to conjunct first the composite Jupiter, then Mars and the Sun, Mercury through 2019 as well. So the gulf will widen considerably presumably as HM Queen retreats further into the background and Charles takes more of a foreground role.

Prince Andrew, 19 Feb 1960 3.38pm London, has a tension-erupting Solar Arc Uranus square his Saturn at the moment; tr Uranus is conjunct his MC in early and late 2017 for a change of career or life direction; and a ‘shocking’ Solar Arc Sun square his Mars, exact in late 2017. At that point as well tr Saturn will conjunct his 5^th house Jupiter which will dampen his enthusiasm, especially where his children are concerned. Into 2018 tr Uranus will square his Mars Venus in Capricorn which will fire up his temper and rattle him significantly.

He’s been left without an official role since blotting his copybook a few years back which removed his trade envoy job, and his as yet unmarried daughters, one of whom appears incapable of holding down a steady job and holidays endlessly, are getting a running bad press. His bizarre relationship with his ex-Sarah Ferguson looks to be drifting further apart in 2017/18.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s tortured relationship with PM Theresa May has ratcheted up another notch with his undiplomatic (and oh so true) comments about Saudi Arabia and the devastating effects of its military interference in the Yemen. He had been ruffled by being the butt of her jokes in speeches and has now been publicly slapped down for talking out of turn.

With a Mutable T Square of Saturn opposition Uranus Pluto squaring onto an 8^th house Mars in Gemini, impulsive comments were to be expected from him. But she knew that which raises the question of what her game was in appointing him. Giving him enough rope? Or better having him inside the tent than stirring up rebellion from the backbenches?

Their relationship chart has a composite Saturn opposition Jupiter square Mars which is being walloped around over the next three years with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Saturn in January and tr Uranus conjunct the Mars in March – so it’ll be simmering dislike before breaking out into open warfare.

He doesn’t look remotely at ease through 2017 or 2018 – from February next with tr Uranus square his Mars/Pluto and then following, an extraordinarily tough tr Pluto square his Mars/Saturn and then opposition his Mars/Uranus. It all looks high risk apart from anything else, but also deeply frustrated and bad-tempered. He’ll sag badly as well in 2018 with tr Neptune square his Sun/Mars. Then get his mojo back in 2019/20 just in time for the next election.

Actress Emma Watson, best known for her Harry Potter movies, is also a model and UN Goodwill Ambassador, with a degree in English Literature. She’s been speaking out recently as a feminist, arguing for gender equality and against domestic violence.

She was born 15 April 1990 6pm Paris, France with two lawyer parents who separated when she was young. She has an 8^th house Aries Sun so determined and feisty; with her Sun in a hard-working square to Saturn in Capricorn in her 4^th. She also has Uranus Neptune in her 4^th, so clearly a disrupted childhood. Her Sun is trine an adventurous Sagittarius Moon, sextiling onto outspoken Mars in Aquarius in the 5^th/6^th – so a fighter for good causes. Her Venus in Pisces in the 6^th is trine a lucky Jupiter in the 10^th in Cancer widely trine Pluto – a Water Grand Trine which makes her creative, a good healer for others, though not always for herself, self-protective.

She has a Fire Sun and Moon, a Water Grand Trine and four Earth planets so she’s a real ball of energy. And well-plugged into the zeitgeist with her Mercury in Taurus opposition Pluto square an Aquarius (= good for humanitarian causes) in her 5^th.

Career-wise she’s got a long way to go with tr Saturn only now moving through her second quadrant. It won’t always be easy for her emotionally and she’ll suit a peripatetic lifestyle. But she’ll become more and more admired the older she gets with that Jupiter in her 10^th.

Two figure skaters who are having a shaky start to the competition season are Gracie Gold, 17 Aug 1995 and Ashley Wagner, 16 May 1991.

Gracie Gold was an Olympic Junior medallist and national champion. She’s a charming Sun Venus in Leo in a determined square to Pluto. Her problem is her Mars at 16 Libra which is picking up the tr Pluto square which is highly frustrating through 2016/17. She’s been talking about her weight problem since although she looks slim she feels she needs to be leaner to cope with the demanding agilities of the sport. She looks muddled through 2017 as well as stuck.

Ashley Wagner is a multiple competition winner and national champion. She’s a redoubtable Sun Taurus opposition Pluto, sextile Mars in Cancer; with Mars in turn opposition Neptune (Uranus). Her problem at the moment is her Neptune at 16 Capricorn which tr Pluto is conjunct in 2016/17. That’s confusing, and disorienting. She’s got a run of insecure, accident-prone Uranus transits to Mars midpoints up to late April when she may start to hit her old form again.

Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco’s twins are two years old tomorrow. Charlene looks exquisitely elegant on public appearances, though thin and rarely relaxed or truly happy.

It was never going to be an easy match for either of them. He has Saturn in his 7^th suggesting close relationships will happen later in his life than usual, and feel like hard work. She’s got Uranus in the 7^th so craves freedom, which is impossible in the pocket-handkerchief kingdom. Both of their Neptune’s fall in the others 7^th, so neither will feel the other is totally committed.

His Neptune is square her Aquarius Sun Venus MC; and her Neptune is square his Pisces Sun.

Their relationship chart is truly difficult. There is admittedly an expansive (and wealthy?) composite Sun Mercury opposition Jupiter but it squares onto an illusory Neptune; plus there is an unkind, suppressed-anger composite Saturn Mars Moon which suggests a quite emotionally damaging interface with one partner making demands that don’t take account of the other’s needs.

2018/19 will see a fair number of jolts, disruptions and upheavals and angry outbursts between them as tr Uranus opposes the composite Saturn, then Mars, then Moon.

Tr Saturn is moving through his 7^th house of marriage from this New Year for three years which can be a chillier, more critical time for relationships; and has tr Pluto conjunct his 8^th house Moon for another year in 2017 which suggests major emotional challenges. She has tr Saturn moving through her 8^th at the moment which will make her feel she’s thrown back on her own resources and under-supported.

Neither of their Sun/Moon midpoints are much affected by influences for another few years but it won’t be easy.

John Glenn, the astronaut, the first American to orbit the earth, has died. He was initially a much be-medalled fighter pilot in WW11 and Korea, joined NASA, and in later years became a Senator and tried for Democrat Presidential nomination.

Born 18 July 1921 4pm Cambridge, Ohio, he had some chart. His Cancer Sun Mars were in the 8^th sextile an idealistic Jupiter Saturn on his Virgo Midheaven; with Pluto Mercury in Cancer also in the 8^th. His Jupiter opposed Uranus and squared a 7th house Venus in Gemini – so quite a mix of light heartedly charming and utterly driven. He did have a couple of financial question-marks over his time in politics which may well have been his Pluto Mars in the 8^th.

When he made his famous orbit on 20 Feb 1962 tr Pluto was opposition his Uranus; his Solar Arc Jupiter was square his Sun; and tr Uranus was conjunct his Solar Arc Mars – a turnaround point in his life, both successful and scary.

His Harmonics were interesting. The gutsy, utterly determined 8H and 16H are strong with indications of tremendous confidence. His inspired 7H is also marked. And his making-a-mark-on-history 17H even more so.

Buzz Aldrin (see previous post 1 Dec) also had an 8^th house Sun plus two other planets and Mars on the cusp of the 8^th – a desire to reach beyond.

Morocco sidestepped the uprisings of the Arab Spring with promises of democratic reform and a new constitution. But the sense is that nothing has changed, if anything it is more repressive. Unemployment is around 10 percent, youth double that at 20 percent, and almost 40% in urban areas. The government responded to recent street demos by stifling free speech and press freedoms and using its security services to prevent a new protest movement from gaining steam. There have been a series of high-profile arrests of journalists and human rights activists.

Morocco 28 May 1956 11am Rabat, has a very Fixed and fairly ruthless chart with a flamboyant Jupiter Pluto on the Leo Ascendant opposition Mars square a 4^th house Saturn in Scorpio – so resistant to change, looks glitzy from its image but very restrictive as far as the population goes.

There will be more rumblings of discontent from May of this year onwards with tr Uranus trine the Morocco Pluto. Even before then tr Pluto will start to conjunct the M Capricorn Moon from March 2017 for two years which is mutinous with intense feelings and power struggles emerging. It continues at high stress levels through 2018 with tr Uranus opposition Neptune and square Uranus. But it is really 2019 to 2021 which are the game-changing years with a series of devastating, panicky and jolting Solar Arcs.

King Mohammed succeeded to the throne on 23 July 1999 when there was a military/ruthless Mars in Scorpio opposition Saturn in Taurus square Uranus in place, so it is a reign that was always going to be fraught. That chart has been under heavy pressure in 2015/16 with tr Pluto trine the Saturn. 2016/17’s Solar Eclipses in Virgo/Pisces have been in hard aspect to the Pluto so creating/accompanying a crisis of power. His rule will be increasingly unpopular in 2018/19; hitting a major roadblock by 2019.

King Mohammed’s personal chart, 21 Aug 1963, has also been suffering under the 2016/17 Eclipses as they hit on his Pluto Uranus in Virgo. He’ll be overly confident in 2017/18, riding roughshod over niceties as tr Pluto squares his Jupiter. And running into very high-risk situations and significant setbacks in 2021.

So it looks as if it is escalating towards a considerable drama in about three/four years, with discontent mounting before then.