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Ukrainian forces are on the offensive attacking across the border into Russia in order to “stretch” and “destabilise” Russia. The Kremlin has declared a federal emergency in the Kursk region and said it was transferring extra forces to try to snuff out the incursion that has damaged its credibility. More than 76,000 civilians have been evacuated from border areas. Zelensky said it was a “fair” response to the nearly 2,000 cross-border strikes into Ukraine by Russian forces over the summer.

  Zelenskiy also posted that Russian forces appeared to have started a fire in one of the cooling towers of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that it has occupied since the early days of the war.

 The Ukraine country chart, 24 August 1991 2.31pm Kiev, always did look in line for some cheer through the middle of this year and beyond with tr Uranus square its Jupiter and several Jupiter midpoints extending on into spring 2025. That won’t magically remove all problems since tr Pluto continues to conjunct the Saturn till late 2025 which is a discouraging slog; with a jolting tr Uranus square Sun from mid 2025 and a confused/devastating SA Neptune square Pluto late 2025/early 2026.

  The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, 1 April 1980, looks edgy in the extreme with the Uranus opposition Venus square Mars North Node being jolted by tr Uranus hard aspects right through into 2026. The Aries Sun is also catching this October’s Libra Solar Eclipse and next March’s Aries Solar Eclipse. So is at a crisis point.

  Zelensky’s Term chart, 20 May 2019 is on highs and lows this year and moving into an undermining phase from June 2025 onwards with tr Neptune square the Mars; with indications of a destabilizing phase from 2026 though 2027 with tr Pluto square the Uranus. Though that could be for any number of reasons since he must be beyond exhausted.

  Putin’s original presidency chart, 31 December 1999, is certainly rattled exactly now with tr Uranus square the Mars and that runs on and off till March 2026. It is likely to test his nerve and may provoke an over-reaction. 2025 into 2026 also see a confused tr Neptune Saturn square the Mercury and tr Uranus in an emotionally upsetting opposition to Venus. Maybe not terminal, but nerve-stretching.

 The Russia 8 December 1991 7.45pm chart, looks depressed this year with tr Saturn square the Sun and Mercury and an explosive and disruptive Solar Arc Mars conjunct Uranus also in 2026.

  The Russia 8 November 1917 chart will also be affected by tr Neptune Saturn moving into Aries square its financial Venus; with jolts and jangles and one piece of luck in 2026. Be interesting to see whether the Saturn Neptune which over Stalin’s death and the Russian Revolution of 1917 has a similarly momentous effect.    

Elon Musk, always regarded as an off-beat, contrarian genius, has decided to ‘rebrand himself lord of misrule’ in the words of one commentator. ‘Until now, we’ve never watched a plutocrat go full Bond villain, cackling from his lair as he spreads discord and fear.’ He is pro-Trump, has spread a deep-fake video of Kamala Harris, posted inflammatory posts about the far-right riots in the UK. “Civil war is inevitable,” he posted on X, and has engaged with Tommy Robinson, boosting the visibility of the founder of a British far-right group, and posted fake news from the co-leader of another, Britain First.

   Now he has declared war on advertisers who have retreated from X/Twitter because of questionable online material along with a goodly chunk of users. Even Tesla appears to be feeling the knock-on effect of his unpopularity. Bumper stickers are available for purchase online featuring slogans such as: “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy.”

  His daughter Vivian coming out as transgender and changing her name, declaring that she no longer wanted to “be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form”, has also caused a Musk explosion as he declared his son “is dead, killed by the woke mind virus”.

  He was born 28 June 1971 7.30am (biography) in Pretoria, South Africa, a week before Julian Assange. That gives him a Cancer Sun Mercury square Uranus. If his birth time is accurate, Jupiter Neptune is in his 5^th house of creativity and children opposition Saturn in Gemini – he has 12 offspring at last count; Jupiter Neptune can be scandal-prone due to instability; and opposition Saturn will give mood swings from high to low as well as a neurotic temperament. He also has a deeply buried 8^th house Mars and North Node in Aquarius trine a 12^th house Venus which also suggests a fair number of inner demons and subconscious anger driving him.

 His 8^th house North Node and Mars was rattled by tr Uranus square around the time he bought twitter; and Uranus was also starting to tug at his Jupiter Neptune opposition Saturn. His Solar Arc Uranus was conjunct his Jupiter three years ago, moving on to conjunct his Neptune this year and oppose his Saturn in 2025. Which is a good deal of highly-strung pressure being put on an already unstable opposition. And as if that was not enough tr Uranus moving into Gemini will oppose his Neptune and conjunct his Saturn in 2025/26 – so his misjudgements and over-reactions are only likely to increase.

    Plus his yod of Pluto sextile Jupiter Neptune inconjunct Midheaven has moved by Solar Arc direction to focus its energy on his 12^th house Venus in Gemini – bringing more emotional flare-ups. The second half of this decade will not ben kind to him since in addition to the above, tr Neptune Saturn in Aries will square his Sun and oppose his Uranus.

  He has described his father Errol Musk as “evil” and “a terrible human being”, but they seem in agreement over their political views. Errol is a Sun Gemini which is conjunct Elon’s Saturn and opposition his Neptune so a cold and uncertain chemistry between them. With Errol’s ferociously determined and dominating Mars Pluto in Leo conjunct Elon’s South Node; and his Neptune square Errol’s Sun.  

 It is a trait that appears to have come down the family line with Vivien Jenna Wilson, Elon’s now estranged daughter,  15 April 2004, having a prominent Mars opposition Pluto, hinting at a controlling father.

ADD ON: 13 August. The tecno-challenged interview between Musk and Trump yesterday was described by a commentator (after Oscar Wilde) “as the incoherent in full pursuit of the unendurable.” “ A display of two planet-sized egos, toxic masculinity and breathtaking mendacity. More surprisingly it was also dull.” “If Trump doesn’t win the election, and if Musk doesn’t become the emperor of the universe, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

  Their relationship chart has a cool, workmanlike composite Sun Saturn in Gemini – which is being undermined throughout this year and in particular over the election from mid October to early February 2025 by tr Neptune in square to the Sun and Saturn. This coincides with tr Neptune opposition Musk’s Pluto undermining his power and influence.  Musk will not, naturally, be down and out but will bounce back with yet another initiative in early 2025 – but in terms of Trump it does look less than celebratory.

Reaching out for a deeper connection to the inner planets in everyday living, Julian Venables’ latest book The Divine Order is written for the non-specialist.  He only includes the celestial ‘wanderers’ as they were once called, that can be seen with the naked eye – Moon to Saturn – to focus on a humanocentric approach. And works through them in an untypical but interesting order. Moon for babyhood,  Mercury as the mind develops, Venus at adolescence for romance and relationships, the Sun in the twenties for the phase of ‘I am’. Then onto Mars, Jupiter at the pinnacle of life and Saturn for old age.

  Each is listed with associations, colours, parts of the body, appearance, occupations, animals, plants and gemstones to connect to the  ancient wisdom that ‘the spiritual can be read through the physical.’

 The days of the week – more obvious in French – from Lundi (Moon Monday) through Mardi (Mars Tuesday), Mercredi (Mercury Wednesday), Jeudi (Jupiter Thursday), Vendredi (Venus Friday), Samedi (Saturn Saturday) are also highlighted as a focus for daily meditations and activities on a theme.  

 Well-laid out with pleasing illustrations and historical references, it will be a valuable self-help book for those wishing to ground their knowledge of the planets and pursue a different route to inner exploration.

 Reviews in Amazon:

‘I am really enjoying this book – it is allowing me to connect with the planets and forming a relationship with the energy of the day.’

‘I’ve been trying to get the essence of the planets for some time and this book has helped enormously. It’s a book I will keep referring back to.’

Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace prize winner, has been handed the momentous task of restoring peace in Bangladesh after the autocratic Sheikh Hasina was ousted by a student revolution. An insider commented: “This will be a superstrong combination: young people leading the way, and his old age and wisdom coming together.” He now has the fate of the world’s eighth-most populous country in his hands with a daunting to-do list — restoring law and order, fixing the economy and reforming corrupted institutions. What the FT described as “the job from hell.”

 Known as a micro-lending pioneer, he started in 1974 when a  famine struck Bangladesh in 1974, and he began studying ways to help farmers, fixating on access to credit after noting that people’s fate was being decided by pennies a day.  Yunus began building what was to become Grameen Bank (derived from the word gram, or village), starting with a micro-loan of $27 to 42 people, prioritising lending to women. By 2003 Grameen was working with 36,000 villages.

 Born 28 June 1940 in Bangladesh,  he is a charming Sun, Venus in Cancer with an Aries Moon. He is well-grounded in the material world with an Earthy Jupiter Saturn conjunction in Taurus and Uranus also in Taurus in an inventive trine to Neptune in Virgo. His Jupiter is square his Pluto Mercury conjunction Leo giving him confidence.

  He is on his Uranus Return this year and will be embroiled in intense discussions with tr Pluto opposition his Mercury Pluto in Leo in January 2025 and later in the year. Even before then September to later November this year look high risk and aggravated as well as blocked with tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Pluto and Saturn/North Node midpoints.

  He is well placed as prime minister with his Sun and Venus falling in the Bangladesh 10^th house (start time of 6pm being accurate). Though his Sun Venus also oppose the Bangladesh 4^th house Mars for arguments  and perhaps political rivals. His bitter relationship with Sheikh Hasina resulted in what he and Norwegian authorities insisted were trumped up corruption charges.

 The Bangladesh chart, 26 arch 1971 6pm Dacca, has a yod of 12^th house Pluto inconjunct Venus in Aquarius sextile Mercury. This year and into 2025 tr Neptune is opposition the secretive (devious/corrupt) 12^th house Pluto and tr Uranus is square Venus on one leg of the yod so clearly the moment had come to shift the country onto a new trajectory. 

See previous post: Bangladesh – student Gen-Zers say enough

20th July 2024

“They seek him here, they seek him there

They try so hard but they try in vain

For he eludes them yet again.”

High comedy and maximum embarrassment in Spain following the appearance on a political stage and then disappearance of exiled separatist leader Carles Puigdemont under the noses of police and journalists. Described as Catalonia’s answer to Trump, he is “an egotistical and polarising rightwing election loser — casting himself as a victim and questioning democracy.” In the recent election most Catalan voters supported non-separatist parties, in line with the decline in support for independence since 2017. Puigdemont is still wanted on charges, which he denies, of embezzlement of public funds and for his role in the 2017 independence referendum deemed illegal by Spanish courts. He is now reportedly back in Belgium.

  What is intriguing is he was born on the same day as Butch Wilmore, the stranded astronaut, 29 December 1962 – in his case at 10.30pm Gerona, Spain. He has the same ambitious Capricorn Sun which is trine/sextile a Uranus Pluto Ascendant in Virgo opposition Jupiter Chiron in Pisces. Uranus Pluto is the archetypal revolutionary, keen to upset the status quo and on his Ascendant it is the brand he promotes with pride and panache. His Jupiter opposition Pluto will make him overly confident, leading to clashes with authority figures since he reckons rules don’t apply to him.

 His Jupiter conjunct Chiron is marked suggesting a ‘messianic’ tendency to see himself as on a mission, harbouring a dream which can expand beyond what is realistic, secretly harbours the idea that he is special, favoured by the gods. It can bring astonishing luck. Trump shares his Jupiter conjunct Chiron, not surprisingly; and his bombastic Mars in Leo in the 12^th.

  At the moment Puigdemont has the volatile and insecure, overly-reactive tr Uranus square his Mars through this year into spring 2025; and tr Saturn zig zagging in opposition to his Pluto this year which is blocked; with his Solar Arc opposition his Pluto by 2026 which will be even more log jammed. Plus a devastating SA Pluto conjunct his Neptune, exact in 18 months from now.

  Interesting to see how the same planetary aspects with Wilmore and Puigdemont can produce similar traits but live out in different ways – with houses making a difference.

Boeing mishaps strike again with two American astronauts on Starliner already stuck for two months at the International Space Station, on what was supposed to be a nine-day round trip, are now expected not to be able to return till next February.

The spacecraft is well-stocked but it is another nightmare for Boeing  after a year of headlines about doors and wheels flying off its jets in mid-air. And industry analysts say for NASA it looks worse: It seems to be falling back into the bungling ways that led to two space-shuttle disasters.

 The sums of money involved are eye-watering billions and the signs were not good from the start with problems before the launch which were written off by NASA and Boeing as trivial.

NASA, 29 July 1958, looks in a terminal panic and completely trapped at the moment with Solar Arc Pluto opposition their Mars this year; and had a devastatingly confused tr Pluto square Neptune earlier this year which influence returns in February 2025. With more hiccups and upheavals from mid 2025 onwards with tr Uranus square the Pluto.

 Boeing, 15 July 1916 is also labouring mightily with tr Pluto opposition its Neptune returning in February 2025 and December 2025 – which will be much of a muchness with NASA above. The new CEO will be pushing ahead with determination but ahead looks every bit as stuck as it has been in recent years when tr Pluto was opposing its Saturn Sun up until recently and moving forward in 2026 the Solar Arc Pluto squares the Boeing Saturn.

 Kelly Ortbeg takes over as Boeing CEO, no birth date apart from April 1960.  But his Term chart from 8 August 2024 has an accident-prone Saturn square Mars and Jupiter so setbacks are likely.

 The two beleaguered astronauts:

Butch Wilmore, 29 December 1962, a Sun Capricorn trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo and sextile Jupiter with Moon and Saturn in scientific Aquarius is a confident personality, keen on pushing back boundaries. His Venus in Scorpio is conjunct Neptune. His Jupiter conjunct Chiron will give him confidence in his super-powers and should bring him luck.

Suni Williams, 19 September 1965, is a Sun Virgo in a confident square to Jupiter, also with the Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn in Pisces. She also has planets in Scorpio – Venus, Neptune, Mars trine Saturn and trine a Cancer Moon in probably  a Water Grand Trine, focused onto the leading-edge Uranus Pluto.

 I cannot imagine anything worse frankly than being stuck in a spacecraft (or submarine) – and then it going wrong!! Aaah.  Still I suppose they pick the temperaments that can cope. But all that jitterbug Uranus Pluto? Not easy.

The US election, although it happens on a challenging, frustrated and aggravated Mars opposition Pluto, is nowhere near as heated as the last one.  In 2020 at the election tr Pluto was opposition the US Mercury, triggering the demagogic, fanatical USA Mercury opposition Pluto – with the fast approaching Pluto Return (from February 2022) adding to the pressure-cooker mood. And on top of that there was a high tension, inclined-to-eruptions Saturn square Uranus which was bolstered by tr Mars conjunct the Uranus on the Inauguration. Quite a storm.

  It won’t be sweetness and light and calm serenity but not as bad.  Though the destructive Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the US Mars is still in place and aiming for the uncertain square to the Neptune by spring 2025 and beyond for a few months. Late November to end of December look odd on the US midpoints – hyper-sensitive and paralysed – and blown around by events, with perhaps losses and calamities (though that is Ebertin who tends to be a touch melodramatic).

 If the Inauguration happens on the expected date and time there is a controlling Sun Pluto in the 10^th opposition Mars on the IC – so not entirely happy electorate and a tough administration. With Uranus in the 1^st hinting at a new image (determination to walk an independent road?).

Kamala Harris does have tr Jupiter square her Venus, Pluto Uranus from the election to the Inauguration which although minor will be helpful. Tr Saturn is also opposition her Uranus Pluto at the same time. The imponderable is her tr Uranus conjunct her Jupiter late November to late December which is lucky and successful but running alongside it is tr Uranus square her Mars/Saturn midpoint which is accident-prone and can accompany considerable setbacks, a test of strength. Plus the fact that her Jupiter does oppose her Neptune.  However having said all that, looking back to the last time tr Uranus shook up her Fixed planets she was elected DA for San Francisco in late 2003 when tr Uranus was conjunct her Saturn and tr Jupiter in Virgo was conjunct her Uranus – so it may be she handles tough influences better than some.

 Donald Trump, having had a near brush with destiny and a surge of adrenaline as tr Uranus squared his Mars over his shooting appears to have subsided into confused grumbles. Tr Jupiter is moving through his 10^th this year which is generally successful career-wise and is conjunct his Uranus late November. But he also has his Progressed Moon square his 12^th house Pluto which his SA MC is moving to conjunct at the election and beyond – which feels very logjammed.  Plus his SA Neptune exactly conjunct his South Node over the election and moving on in 2025/26 to conjunct his Moon and oppose his Sun. None of which look helpful. In January tr Pluto is moving into his 6^th house (birth time being accurate) which may be health related and he has tr Pluto opposition his Saturn/Pluto midpoint throughout January which is an uphill slog, discouraging and depressing.

That is my best shot – make of it what you will.

  Kamala Harris has picked Tim Walz, a former teacher, and mid Western Minnesota governor to be her VP.

  Born 6 April 1964, West Point, Nebraska, no birth time. He has his Sun, Mars and Jupiter spread out through Aries so resonates with her Aries Moon and Mars in Leo. Like her, he is of the Uranus Pluto in Virgo generation. And therein lies a predictive problem since both their respective Plutos are boosted by tr Jupiter in Gemini squares across the relevant period which is a good, albeit a minor influence. But their Plutos also get the tr Saturn in Pisces opposition which is stuck.

  He has tr Neptune square his Sun/Pluto midpoint now till early September which Ebertin sees as an undermining influence for career matters. Apart from that he has nothing else of note showing apart from his Pluto being buffeted up and down. A birth time would help – though it does not make Kamala’s prospects much clearer having one.

 Re-running Kamala’s astro again. She has tr Jupiter square her Uranus, Pluto, Venus in Virgo  between November 25 and March 2025. And tr Saturn square Venus, Pluto, Saturn in Virgo from October right through to early February 2025. Make of that what you will – one step forward and one back.

    Continuing on the conflicting, contradictory theme she has a lucky, successful tr Uranus conjunct her Jupiter November 24^th to December 20^th but that runs at the same time as tr Uranus conjunct her Mars/Saturn midpoint which usually accompanies a major setback. Though it could also indicate a period of violence, accident or test of nervous strength. Biden had this when he was forced to step down. To be noted her Jupiter, although lucky, is opposition Neptune which can be over hopeful and scandal prone. Similar influences were in place when Boris Johnson who also has a Jupiter Neptune opposition was forced to step down.  So not conclusive.

  On midpoints she has tr Neptune square her Sun/Saturn midpoint 4 September to 11 October and in February 2025 which is uncertain, undermining and could hint at illness or lack of energy.

 On house transits: tr Pluto is still going through her 8^th house which is trapped; tr Saturn through her 10^th which is good career-wise. And Tr Jupiter through her 12^th which is not resoundingly helpful.

 Doug Emhoff, her husband, 13 October 1964, has tr Uranus conjunct his Jupiter at the same time as others but without the calamitous midpoint – but spouses can be tricky since they would often be as pleased to be away from the goldfish bowl.

  The one person who has definitely successful influences is David Plouffe, a top strategist on both of Obama’s presidential campaigns, who has joined Kamala’s team. Born 27 May 1967, he is a Sun Gemini  which is sextile/trine a Saturn in Aries opposition Mars in Libra. His Jupiter at zero degrees Leo is catching the tr Pluto opposition late November to end December which is usually successful. With two lucky Jupiter midpoints being flagged up from late October to late December. He’ll have flutters of panic September to early October so the run up may be nail-biting. January 2025 looks frustrated, furious and depressing as well as confused and devastated. So not exactly bouncing with joy across the Inauguration.

  Plouffe is fine but the other two?? I don’t know. Election predictions are often head-scratchers and this one more than most.

NB. Comments on the astrology only please. Or verifiable facts where relevant. Hopes, fears and opinions, however heartfelt will be deleted.

   And only 90 days to go the election day – followed by almost three months of angst and argument till the Inauguration.

  Jitters in the financial world have sent the ‘fear gauge’ surging to highest level since early stages of pandemic. A global stock sell-off gathered pace with concern of a recession in the USA, the world’s biggest economy. Japanese, Asian and European markets suffered sharp declines in response.

This is a quick skip through the main charts – which I don’t keep an eye on generally so don’t know how reliable the start dates are in terms of registering events. But all seem to show more than usual levels of aggravation and setbacks now and through 2025 – which would mirror the signs of tensions rising on global central banks, especially the US Federal Reserve in 2025 when tr Neptune and Saturn move into Aries. (See post July 24 2024 Global finance – rising debt.)

New York Stock Exchange, 17 May 1792, 7.53am, Sun at 27 Taurus square Pluto at 23 Aquarius will be rocked and jangled by tr Uranus hard aspects right through until early 2026.

Dow Jones, 26 May 1896, 9.11am NY, has an uncertain and worrisome SA Saturn as well as tr Saturn in hard aspect to its Neptune his year into early 2025. With its financial Venus in Taurus also rattled into March 2025.

NASDAQ, 8 February 1971 9am, NY, has a shock and upsets coming into spring/summer 2025 with SA Sun opposition Uranus. With high anxiety in 2026/27 from tr Uranus opposition the Neptune.

S&P 500, 4 March 1957, also looks in line for a shock impact in 2025 from SA Sun conjunct Mars; plus a disruptive tr Uranus square Pluto from mid 2025 into 2026. Plus a confused, devastated tr Pluto square Neptune in 2024/25.

FTSE first trade, 3 January 1984 – upsets late December to mid March 2025 with tr Uranus square the Sun. A confidence dampening SA Saturn conjunct Jupiter through 2025 and grinding pressure from tr Pluto square the Pluto (conjunct Mars).

 The Nikkei, 7 September 1950, upsets now into 2025 plus extreme difficulty getting forward traction.

  It parallels earlier thoughts about an economic/financial slow down and challenges till 2026 clears.

Add on:  Toronto Stock Exchange, 25 October 1861, has Neptune at 29 Pisces which is undergoing a Return until early 2026; with SA Neptune square the financial Venus at the moment. Neptune not being helpful around money matters. In addition it is under stress in 2024/25 from tr Pluto square its Taurus Sun. With high anxiety in 2026 from SA Neptune square Uranus and pressures continuing thereafter.  Much the same as elsewhere.

 Amsterdam Stock Exchange, 20 March 1602 presumably JC – showing same signs as elsewhere through next three years.

  The major companies which have been holding the market up – Alphabet, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Nvidia, Tesla, Meta, MacDonalds – are all showing a rocky ride right through till 2027.

  Oddly the Inauguration 2025 is not showing up much financially if it goes ahead as normal.