Humza Yousaf’s coalition with the Scottish Greens has collapsed after after the Scottish Government scrapped its flagship climate change target last week. He will now lead a minority government with 63 MSPs out of a total of 129 members, slightly less than half. In theory the next election will be May 2026 though presumably it could come sooner.

  These are troubled times in Scotland with former SNP CEO Peter Murrell’s arrest on financial charges and a cloud still hanging over Nicola Sturgeon plus all manner of political squalls over taxation and other policies.

 Yousaf’s Term chart, 28 March 2023 3.03 pm Edinburgh always hinted at partnership problems with Saturn in the 7^th and Neptune in the 8^th plus Pluto square the Midheaven and a divisive 10^th house Uranus. It has a hugely stressed Mars in excitable Cancer conjunct the Moon, square Sun and Neptune, trine Saturn and inconjunct Pluto – so was never going to be a harmonious administration. The recent Aries Eclipse rattled up its Mercury Jupiter on Aries and the October Libra Eclipse will oppose the Aries Sun. If it survives into 2025 tr Saturn and Neptune in Aries square the Moon Mars will probably see the end of it.

 Yousaf’s personal chart, 7 April 1985, has his Aries Sun rattled by this month’s Solar Eclipse and his Mercury by October’s Libra Eclipse. Tr Saturn is square his Uranus this month for high tensions and eruptions. He looks particularly rattled this coming week till early May with tr Uranus square his Mars/Saturn midpoint and tr Pluto square his Sun/Mars – calamities, catastrophes and vicious arguments. And the frustrations and hostilities will continue on and off into 2025.

 The SNP 7 April 1934 chart is also being seriously rattled by this month’s Solar Eclipse with its Sun Mars in Aries opposition Jupiter square Pluto catching the full effect; with eruptions and tensions in June and on and off into spring 2025.

  I was never sure what it meant but the original Act of Union of Scotland and England chart, 1 May 1707, was always due for an upheaval with tr Uranus conjunct the Taurus Sun and square the Jupiter Uranus, finishing now.  With a setback coming in 2026 with the SA Mars conjunct the Saturn. It can’t mean another independence referendum since that boat has well and truly sailed. Even the Devolution 17 November 1998 Scotland Act is being seriously jangled – and has been through the past two years over Sturgeon’s surprise departure and is still subject to major jolts and disappointment through into 2025. Were it not such a mire the whole devolution set up should go back to the drawing board for a rethink.  

Add on:

 Humza Yousaf appears to have a birth time of 11.20pm 7 April 1985 Glasgow which puts his Scorpio Moon on his Ascendant with tr Uranus in opposition at the moment; and tr Saturn opposing his Virgo Midheaven. With a confidence-busting SA Neptune moving to conjunct his Jupiter over the next few months. If he survives the fairly catastrophic Uranus transits to two of his Saturn midpoints over the next three weeks till mid May, he’ll have more major disruptions this August onwards into early 2025 and a major setback in 205 from SA Sun opposition his Saturn.

 Alex Salmond’s Alba Party, in the shape of Ash Regan its only MSP member who defected from the SNP after her defeat in the leadership contest, may be called in to offer support in the event of a no confidence vote.  Salmond, 31 December 1954 4.30pm Linlithgow, looks over excitable over the next three weeks though more hopeful in later May. But overall is heading for SA Neptune in a lacklustre, undermining conjunction to his Sun in 2025.

  Ash Regan, 8 March 1974, has nothing to suggest uplift this year though she has a lucky-break tr Uranus square her Jupiter from July 2025 onwards.

ADD ON:  John Swinney, formerly leader of the SNP pre-Salmond, has been retrieved as yet another continuity candidate to take the tiller. Born 13 April 1964, he is another Sun Aries with Mars also in Aries on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Neptune sextile Pluto. A yod focal point Mars in Aries is generally thought of as a hothead and loose cannon which hardly fits Sean Connery’s view of him as boring and lacking energy – though the Mars may be deeply buried in his chart.

  He’s in a mixed phase with confidence and high hopes from tr Pluto square his Jupiter at zero Taurus but damped down by Solar Arc Saturn also at zero Taurus. This autumn’s Libra Solar Eclipse opposition his Mars will bring a few fireworks and noisy arguments as will the spring Solar Eclipse in 2025 in Aries. It’ll be a wild ride; with 2026 looking like the end of the road politically with a frustrating and dead-halt SA Mars square his Pluto and tr Uranus square his Saturn.

ADD ON: John Swinney was sworn in as First Minister on 8 May 2024 around 11.47am Edinburgh. This puts a charm-offensive Sun Venus, Moon in the 10^th plus a changeable Uranus and a lucky Jupiter. With a financially restrictive Saturn in the 8^th and maybe Neptune also in the 8^th (depending on time being accurate) so money problems may be the Achilles Heel.

Terry Anderson, the American journalist who was held captive for six and a half years by Islamic militants affiliated with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah organisation in the 1980s/90s, has died.

 He was held longer than any of the several dozen other western hostages captured in Lebanon during the civil war, had to endure many months in solitary confinement, was beaten, blindfolded, poorly fed, chained by his hands and feet, and deprived of sunlight and company. He said he “almost went insane”, banging his head against the wall until he bled, but he never gave up, surviving because of his religious belief, military training and stubbornness.

  After his release he met his daughter for the first time, born while he was held captive; his father and brother had died of cancer during his imprisonment. Years of PTSD followed in a restless, troubled life with his multi-million dollar compensation frittered away in bad investments though he did give to philanthropic causes. In his latter years he finally found peace on a small Virginia horse farm.

  He was born on 27 October 1947, one day after Hillary Clinton, in Ohio with a police officer father, joined the US Marine Corps, served as a combat journalist in Vietnam and afterwards having gained a college degree joined Associated Press, reporting from Japan and South Africa before being posted to Lebanon in 1982 as the country was sinking into civil war.

 Like HC he was a Sun Scorpio with a formidable collection of Mars, Pluto, Saturn in Leo square Venus Mercury in Scorpio opposition a North Node and Algol in Taurus. Very Fixed, utterly determined, he was built for endurance and would cope well in crisis, high-adrenaline-rush situations to which he would be inevitably attracted.

  His years in captivity started with tr Pluto conjunct his Scorpio Sun in early 1985 and in the exceptionally tough years thereafter transiting Pluto squared his Mars, Pluto (and midpoints to Saturn) with tr Pluto square his Saturn when he was released. When he was captured he was on his Nodal Return at 38. When he was set free in 1991 the transiting Uranus, Neptune, North Node in Capricorn were square his Neptune with tr Saturn square his Sun.

 [Houses would make a significant difference in his fate versus Hillary Clinton’s though she would also be undergoing massive pressures during these years.]

  What intrigued me looking at other hostages were the similarities. Terry Waite, 31 May 1939, a Church of England envoy and humanitarian, in captivity for nearly five years, has an extraordinarily tough Pluto opposition Mars square Saturn in his natal chart, with a Scorpio North Node and a Scorpio Moon opposition Uranus. Tr Pluto was conjunct his North Node when he was captured. When he was released tr Saturn was conjunct his Mars and tr Pluto was around the conjunction to his Moon.

John McCarthy, 27 November 1956, a former journalist, has a Sun Saturn in Sagittarius conjunct North Node in late Scorpio square Pluto with Venus Neptune in Scorpio square Uranus – again heavy Scorpio influence.  He was on his Saturn Return at 29 when he was captured with tr Pluto in Scorpio square his Uranus. And possibly tr Neptune in Capricorn square his Libra Moon,.  When he was released five and a half years later tr Saturn was square his Neptune and then Venus; with the transiting Uranus Neptune in Capricorn somewhere around the square to his Moon; with the transiting North Node inconjunct his natal North Node.

  The Scorpio/Taurus North Nodes and Scorpio planets plus heavy Pluto are marked across all three.

 Brian Keenan, the Irish hostage, a teacher and writer, 28 September 1950, is an exception. He has a Libra Sun and Pisces North Node – though may have a Taurus Moon.

  Tough aspects in a natal chart do give individuals the capacity to endure hardship though they also have a habit of attracting the challenging situations which require those traits.

 What is worth noting is that Terry Anderson after years of mental turbulence, which was hardly surprising given his ordeal, found peace on a horse farm – which with a Taurus North Node could not be more apt. Reaching out for nature brings contentment.  

Johnny Depp’s road back to redemption after the lurid allegations during the trial with Amber Heard comes with the cinema release of “Jeanne du Barry” about one of Louis XV’s mistresses.  

  Depp plays French king Louis XV, who is generally disparaged by historians as ‘a do-nothing king who left affairs of state to ministers while indulging in his hobbies of hunting and womanizing.’ 15 years after his death the French Revolution broke out.

Louis XV, 15 February 1710 8.18am Versailles, acceded to the throne when he was five and died sixty years later. He married at 15, had ten children before he was 30 and thereafter embarked on a series of high profile affairs with several mistresses including Madame du Pompadour and latterly Jeanne du Barry.

  Louis had the chart of a willful rebel with an Aquarius Sun opposition Pluto Uranus in Leo squaring onto an over-the-top, can-be-arrogant Jupiter.  

 Depp, 9 June 1963 8.44 am Owensboro, KY, has some similarities having a Pluto, Mars, Uranus conjunction in Virgo with his Pluto square his Gemini Sun – so the same disruptive, chaotic Uranus Pluto and controlling Sun Pluto. They also both shared an unloved Venus square Saturn.

  The comparison shouldn’t be stretched too far but there are enough similarities to allow Depp to understand the role.  Depp also has two yods – one from Sun sextile Jupiter into Neptune and the other from Moon sextile Neptune onto his Sun – he tends to get lost in dreams or addictions and has problems moderating his ego.

  Jeanne du Barry, the centrepiece of the movie,  born 10 August 1743 7.30am Vaucoulueurs, France, was the illegitimate daughter of a poor seamstress, convent educated but sold in her teens to a nobleman pimp who schooled her as a courtesan. She became the last of Louis XV’s mistresses and after his death was executed for treason by guillotine during the Revolution.

 Jeanne du Barry was a Sun Leo square Pluto South Node in Scorpio with an Aries Moon opposition Mars square Neptune  – suited for a life of performance and publicity.

 Actress and director Maiwen Le Besco, 17 April 1976 1.25 am Les Lilas, France, who is fascinated by Du Barry, calling her a ‘feminist’ which hardly fits. She does have some crossovers with her historical heroine. Her Scorpio North Node is conjunct Du Barry’s Pluto South Node and Maiwen’s passionate Venus opposition Pluto square Mars hooks into Du Barry’s Moon Mars Neptune T square – sex and power would seem to be the attraction.

  Depp will be jangled and jolted with tr Uranus square his Saturn next month and then conjunct his Mercury Venus (conjunct Algol) in June/July – and running on and off into spring 2025. Not too settled on the relationship front and he may run into career setbacks come 2025/26 with tr Pluto square his Midheaven. But he’ll keep trucking in what will always be a fairly chaotic life.

Taylor Swift in her incessant hunt for publicity to sell albums has been making capital about past relationships taking aim at Matty Healy, who was a short-lived fling of a few weeks last year and Joe Alwyn. As well as aiming a barb at Kim Kardashian according to fans who are understand the kickback codes in songs.

 Swift has form for mining her love life in her songs. Joe Jonas, Harry Styles, Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston are a few of the exes she headlined and monetized in her songs.  

 Born 13 December 1989 in Reading, PA, her birth time is questionable though maybe 5.17am, which would put a vengeful Mars in Scorpio on her Ascendant with Pluto in her 12th and Jupiter Moon in her 8^th which would fit with intense entanglements and an inability to let go grievances.

  Her spat with Kim Kardashian was seemingly over a Kanye West situation but may also be hyped up a la pre-boxing/wrestling matches for the publicity.

  They are certainly not a good fit with T’s Mars conjunct K’s Uranus, T’s Pluto conjunct K’s Mercury in Scorpio; and T’s Sagittarius Sun conjunct K’s Neptune. Inflammatory and evasive.

  Their relationship chart has a chilly and combustible composite Sun, Saturn Venus Mars conjunction. Tr Uranus is moving to oppose the Saturn from next month and then the Sun in June and Venus in July and on – so this squall may run on.

 Previous post on Joe Alwyn and Matt Healy see post 7 May 2023 and other Taylor Swift in SEARCH..  

Trump’s Stormy Daniels hush money trial starts on Monday after he alternately dozed and raged through jury selection. There is anxiety in GOP quarters about how damaging the ‘time-suck’ of a possibly two month trial will be on campaign fund raising. And questions are being asked about whether the reduced bond of $175 million put up on another case has sufficient collateral behind the source which put it up.

 Trump lost his last lucky tr Uranus square his Sun/Jupiter midpoint on April 5^th. Though he still has tr Jupiter due to move into his 10^th from the start of May until June 2025 which will keep him in the headlines one way or another.

  His bad-tempered reactions to being under attack with tr Pluto opposition his Mercury/Mars midpoint picked up April 14 and run till May 24 and run alongside an emotionally ramped up and stressful tr Pluto opposition his Venus/Pluto midpoint.

  He has two additional downers picking up this coming week. Tr Saturn opposition his Mars/Neptune midpoint April 24 to 5 May = feeling inferior/bad publicity; repeating late Aug/early Sept and across the Inauguration in January. And tr Uranus square Mercury/Neptune 25 April to 11 May = convulsive disturbances in connection with the nervous system (Ebertin).

 Nervous troubles tend to accompany another Mercury midpoint as tr Neptune has undermined his Mercury/Uranus from 3 April to early May, again Sept/early Oct and Feb 2025.

 In May 7^th to 18^th tr Saturn will square his 10^th house Uranus for a considerable jolt and eruptions in time of high tension, maybe change of life/career direction. That repeats in August and late Jan/Feb 2025.

  Tr Pluto moves to oppose his discouraging Saturn/Pluto midpoint May 24 to July 17, and again through January 2025.  

  In June tr Saturn squares his Uranus/Node midpoint from 7^th to July 23^rd, repeating Feb 25 which tends to bring difficulties and the end of associations.

 Tr Jupiter moving into Gemini will conjunct his Uranus and oppose his Moon from 17 August on and off through late November into early 2025 which will produce a few lucky breaks and rays of sunshine but Jupiter transits are fairly minor and not always obvious in effect.

 His luck-attracting Jupiter/Pluto midpoint is being squelched by tr Saturn in opposition in October and December this year.

 The really crucial influences will be tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven from late May (birth time being accurate) and square his Mars in July across the GOP convention his Mars, both repeating on and off into April 2025. Under normal circumstances this would suggest a forced change of career direction and a sudden shock bringing insecurity. But he does have an astonishing capacity to absorb punishment and remain standing.

  His Solar Arc Pluto is square his Venus/Saturn midpoint, drawing to exact over the next three months, which will exacerbate his sense of being unloved and unloveable.

  His Solar Arc Neptune will conjunct his South Node exactly late this year before moving on in 2025/26 to conjunct his Moon and square his Sun – none of which looks upbeat or progressive.

 The trial chart for 22 April 2024 9.30am is difficult to interpret but assuming it stands for justice it does not look too hopeful. There is a retrograde Mercury, an indecisive Neptune in the 10^th and a trapped Pluto in the 8th square the Sun. Mars Saturn in Pisces in the 10^th hints at a fractious atmosphere with setbacks and delays.

  I am not sure how to interpret trial charts – OJ Simpson’s 24 January 1995 Los Angeles had a blocked Mars square Pluto as befits a murder trial and a highly-strung, can-be-fanatical Neptune Uranus conjunction; with an intense Scorpio Moon conjunct the North Node as it became a cultural landmark.  

ADD ON:

“I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters,” Trump remarked at a campaign stop in 2016.

  Undeserved good luck runs counter to all our ideas/delusions about living in a fair world. But undoubtedly some individuals have a guardian angel in the shape of a strong Jupiter which fishes them constantly out of trouble. Trump has his Jupiter trine Uranus widely sextile Pluto, trine North Node, Sun and sextile Moon as well as square Saturn Jupiter. He may also have a wide-ish yod of Jupiter sextile South Node Moon inconjunct Midheaven.  Plus his Sun is square his Mars/Jupiter midpoint and his Jupiter squares his Sun/Pluto midpoint. No shortage of helpful genies running around to do his bidding.

  Though Jupiter has more to offer than luck – it brings self-belief and a strong vision which may have as much to do with outcomes as the wheel of fortune being permanently tilted towards unearned success.

   A positive attitude plus determination creates its own luck.

 It was discussed before in a post about transglobe explorer Ranulph Fiennes who has defied death countless times.   See Neptune’s Dreams made Real July 9 2022 under Ranulph Fiennes in search. It may be significant that Pisces is ruled by both Jupiter and Neptune which between them have a powerful imagination which – can – sometimes – turn a strong vision into a reality.

  I have always thought that Trump’s Pluto and Mars in his 12^th house (Pisces natural home) play a part.  That’s where the determination behind the dream comes in. And the other two examples of Fiennes and TE Lawrence who wrote his dream across the Middle East had strong planets in the 12^th plus emphasized Jupiter and Neptune.  So it will be a combination of factors.  

  Which does not mean it lasts forever. Black Elk’s story in the previous post is a pointer to what happens when the vision slips. It depends on the individual maintaining their confidence/ delusional self-belief. If that crumbles, reality sets in.

  I remember a comment from years back that the people who survived the concentration camps in WW11 better than others were; A) those with a strong belief system, whether Marxist or religious, the content did not matter. B) the mentally unstable, e.g. schizophrenics, whose internal world was so chaotic and threatening they could cope with a crazy, hostile external world better than those used to a sane, stable environment. I might suggest Trump fits into both categories. His narcissistic/sociopathic lack of shame bounces him back (shields him) from blows that would destroy normal individuals.

  I am not sure you can will self-belief – some just arrive unfairly blessed – but there is no doubt that a degree of ‘sports psyching’ can help individuals improve their performance.

Suri Cruise celebrated her 18^th birthday yesterday with much media speculation about her reportedly non-existent relationship with her father Tom Cruise. She has said she may not follow her mother Katie Holmes into acting but head instead for fashion.

  She was born on 18 April 2006 3.26am Los Angeles, six months before her parents glitzy wedding in Italy and was five when they split with tales of Katie Holmes’ fear of her being engulfed by Scientology.   

Suri has a 2^nd house late Aries Sun and Mercury conjunct North Node in Aries – so she will be focused on money, though with a tendency initially to be overly dependent on others with her South Node in the 8^th. What is striking is her Moon Pluto in Sagittarius trine Sun and opposition Mars in Cancer in her performing 5^th house. Moon Pluto is a possessive mother though the Mars opposition hints at a great deal of underlying friction. Suri’s Sun is trine Pluto which could indicate a father out-with her control and her Sun square Saturn suggests her emotional self-esteem is damaged by the distance between them.

 Tom Cruise, 3 July 1962, is a Sun Cancer with his Pluto and Uranus falling in Suri’s 7^th which would not make for togetherness. His chilly Saturn in Aquarius is conjunct her 12^th house Chiron so he will exacerbate her sense of grief, of  being an outsider and add to her problems building a secure sense of her own identity.

  Their composite chart has a yod onto a composite Sun, Uranus, Venus, North Node, hinting at divergent paths in life and that is inconjunct a Neptune sextile Pluto. They are bound together in a fated way while wishing to walk their own road without reference to the other.

  Poor soul, she will forever be the daughter of a famous father with whom she apparently has little connection.

  Her relationship with her mother is not easy either. Katie’s Sagittarius Sun is conjunct Suri’s Pluto Moon with Katie’s Pluto falling in Suri’s 8^th – inevitable in one way but there is way too much control and possessiveness wrapped up in their bond.

  Their relationship chart has an excitable and chaotic composite Uranus Neptune Venus conjunction and a challenging composite Sun opposition Saturn square Pluto. Chained together by circumstances leaving an underlying residue of resentment dampening good feelings.

  If the wedding chart is accurate at 6pm 18 November 2006, Bracciano, Italy, then it is ironic it had a 5^th Scorpio Moon in the 5^th house of children.

  Children of celebrities have their own path of thorns to walk – not easy.

Peter Murrell, husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party. He was previously arrested as a suspect on 5 April 2023 before being released without charge. This time round he was questioned for nine hours, charged and then released.

Police Scotland has pointed out that “The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.”

Scotland is a good deal fussier about contempt of court – prejudicing the outcome of any possible future trial – so anything that follows will be about the astrology and not a comment about guilt or innocence.

  Murrell, born 8 December 1964, Edinburgh, had been CEO of the Scottish National Party since 2001 and praised by his wife as a sure winner. He has a Sagittarius Sun closely square Pluto, Uranus, Mars in Virgo so has a high-wire and volatile temperament despite his bank-manager appearance. He also has a Boris Johnson-type Jupiter in Taurus opposition Neptune (and conjunct Venus) in Scorpio – able to turn on the charm, over-hopeful, with according to Ebertin a tendency to get into scrapes and scandals because of poor judgement.  An unaspected Saturn hints at lack of organization, self-discipline and caution.

  He is an odd mix with Cancerian Sturgeon, 19 July 1970 3.16 pm Irvine, Scotland,  though both share an Aquarius Moon – and his overdose of confidence would have lifted some of her gloomier, prone-to-worry traits. His Jupiter opposition Venus Neptune sits across her Saturn opposition Neptune. But she does have a natal 7^th house Saturn and his Saturn falls in her 4^th – so it was always going to be a relationship involving work to a large extent.

  On his chart tr Saturn is opposing his Mars, Uranus, Pluto in Virgo and squaring his Sagittarius Sun now and through this month, repeating in September and January 2025 for setbacks, discouragement and a sharp reality check. His Uranus, Pluto Mars square Sun is also moving by Solar Arc to collide with his natal Jupiter opposition Venus Neptune for a destiny-changing three years ahead.

 Nicola Sturgeon always looked to be completely trapped and scared through 2023 on and off till late 2024 with tr Pluto opposition her Mars at zero degrees Leo. Plus tr Pluto square her Sun/Moon midpoint throughout 2024/25 putting considerable strain on her marriage. Her travails won’t ease up for a few years since tr Pluto will move on to square her Moon/Mars midpoint and then conjunct her Moon till the end of 2028 – a long haul of emotional upset. Tr Uranus will also add worries on top as it squares her Saturn/Neptune midpoint and then opposes her Neptune in 2025.

  Her relationship chart with him which has an affectionate composite Sun Venus opposition a too-much-work Saturn – also has a publicity-attracting Mars square Neptune, useful in their heyday but less so in these circumstances. It is getting a fair rattling up, bringing insecurity from tr Uranus opposition the Neptune and square Mars this May and again over late December to mid March 2025.

  One intriguing astro-thought Peter Murrell’s Mars went retrograde by progression in May 2016 just before the Brexit Referendum – so something started to sap his vitality and forward gear from that point onwards for many years to come.

Formidable and forthright, a much loved TV director who bullied, barracked and swore with a sergeant major’s repertoire of colourful profanities, industry legend Diana Edwards Jones, has died. As ITN’s senior director she controlled immensely complex operations on special events like election specials from the production gallery –  a task compared to “playing three-dimensional chess at Wimbledon pace over a marathon course”. According to a 1987 profile in the newsletter for former ITN staff, she was “the bully, the one they learnt from, the one they laughed with and were outraged by. But it was Di who got them through whatever had to be done.”

  Born 13 December 1932 in Swansea, Wales, no birth time, she started as a studio assistant in 1955 and rose rapidly at a time women were a rarity in senior positions. She became mistress of the control room on News at 10 with Alistair Burnet, Reginald Bosanquet and Trevor MacDonald and puppet-master behind special events.

  Having come across her professionally in her heyday, it is such a delight to see that her chart reflects perfectly her exuberantly unselfconscious personality. She had an outspoken Sagittarius Sun opposition a communicative, restless Gemini Moon squaring onto an expansive, enthusiastic Jupiter in Virgo. Her Mercury in equally candid Sagittarius was in a short-fused square to Mars in perfectionist Virgo tempered by a sensible sextile to Saturn. Her Mars was in a showbusiness conjunction to Neptune. Her charmingly persuasive Venus in Scorpio trine Pluto would allow her to get away with a good deal.

  Her mould-breaking Uranus in Aries was not only in a disruptive square to Pluto it was on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Venus sextile Jupiter – making her wilful, contrary, independent-spirited and also a trailblazer. Her life could have been a chaotic mess but she found the ideal context for her need for constant excitement, change and complexity.  There is no birth time but I would hazard a guess at a 10^th house controlling Pluto which would put her communicative Sagittarius Sun in the journalistic 3^rd house, her Moon in the 9^th of foreign affairs and her individualistic Uranus in the 7^th. 

Old memories. I was working for STV in those days which being Scottish and all too aware of the risk of alcohol there was an absolute veto on anyone drinking before going on air – presenters or technical staff.  Much to our surprise on going down to London to watch the big boys at work, we were startled to see them tucking into the brandy at lunchtime with a long working day ahead. Not a workplace culture that helped Reginald Bosanquet who would finish News at Ten with his wig askew slurring his way through the football results.

  Her strength was in an almost superhuman ability to hold together a vastly complex technical operation and deliver it to TV screens with effortless efficiency. By the 1979 general election I had moved to the BBC and had seen the behind-the-scenes preparation for a mammoth set-up with outside broadcast units galore, which looked guaranteed to beat ITN hands down. In the event Di Edwards Jones running a tighter organisation with her usual exemplary control delivered, while the BBC having over-convoluted their set-up collapsed to much ignominy.

  It feels like the good old days of the wild west and was fun though almost always hysterical. Astonishingly she made it work.

Denmark’s 17th Century stock exchange building in the centre of Copenhagen has been destroyed by fire. Culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said 400 years of Danish cultural heritage had gone up in flames. The building was being renovated, as was Notre Dame before its fire.

  The Denmark chart, 5 June 1849 12.15pm Copenhagen, has the accident prone tr Saturn Mars conjunction square the 9^th house Gemini Sun for a considerable setback; and the Solar Arc Sun within less than a degree of being in an undermining square to the Neptune.

  The two recent eclipses were both stressed in relation to Copenhagen with the late March Lunar Eclipse having Pluto exactly on the Midheaven for Copenhagen; and the Solar Eclipse having Pluto on the IC exactly.

  It certainly registers as a transformational moment – and perhaps hints at a history-changing moment for Denmark in other ways.

ADD ON:  The fire was reported at 7.30am on April 16^th which puts Pluto near the Midheaven.  The Uranus at 21 degrees Taurus echoes the German Invasion of Denmark chart on 9 April 1940 when Uranus was previously at 20 Taurus. Another catastrophic Copenhagen fire of 20 October 1728 JC which destroyed 30% of the city had Uranus at 21 Scorpio – so it is a sensitive degree area for Denmark.

  There is a difficulty in establishing earlier charts for Denmark since its history was so entangled with the other Scandanavian countries. Though 804 AD and 936 AD seemed to be historically important and they had Uranus in Scorpio and in Taurus respectively.

  Where this key degree resonates with the modern Denmark chart of 1849 is in its Chiron at 22 Scorpio. So at the moment tr Uranus opposing its Chiron does suggest a deep wound – as did the German Invasion of 1940.

Dubai and the United Arab Emirates yesterday experienced its largest rainfall event since records began 75 years ago. 254.8mm (9.7in) fell over less than 24 hours, almost double the expected annual rainfall with the monthly average for April being around 8mm. There have been rumours that the authorities had been cloud-seeding – a technique which sees aircraft fire salt flares into clouds to speed up condensation and induce rainfall but whether this could have resulted in such a catastrophic downpour is unclear – and seems unlikely.

 The UAE chart, 2 December 1971, has tr Saturn conjunct its Mars in Pisces exactly; with a heavy-duty tr Pluto trine the Saturn and conjunct the Solar Arc Sun bringing considerable challenges.

 The Dubai 9 June 1833 12 am chart, has the panicky, undermining Solar Arc Neptune conjunct the Mars exactly now. Tr Uranus moving to square the Uranus within days and tr Saturn also about to square the Gemini Sun. If the 12 am time is sound the Solar Arc Uranus is also opposition the Moon. Tr Pluto is conjunct the Neptune throughout 2023/24 for a disorienting and nerve-stretching phase.

  The 8 April Solar Eclipse set for Dubai has the accident-prone Mars Saturn conjunction on the IC with Neptune in the 4^th which seems apt.