Eastern Europe – facing testing times ahead ++Latvia/Estonia 1918

Russian warplanes flying over the Gulf of Finland violated Estonia’s airspace yesterday. Italy, Finland and Sweden scrambled jets under Nato’s mission to bolster its eastern flank. Russia issued a denial but tensions have been escalating recently, after Poland and Romania – both Nato members – said Russian drones breached their airspace recently.

 Following on from a previous post: Poland drones – Russia testing the temperature 10th September 2025 – with the Virgo Solar Eclipse this weekend triggering the composite Mars in the NATO/Russia 1991 relationship chart pointing to a heated few months ahead with a nerve stretching tr Uranus opposition the composite Neptune through the winter into next spring. In addition tr Saturn Neptune will be tugging on the composite Pluto opposition Uranus from 2026 almost to the end of the decade, hinting at a testing few years ahead of pushing, pulling, deadlock and subterfuge.

 Looking at the countries closest to Russia. 2027/28 stand out as high stress years. Estonia, 20 August 1991 7.04pm has Solar Arc Pluto square Mars in late 2027 which looks high risk and trapped.

Latvia, 21 August 1991 11.25pm, has the same.

Finland, 6 December 1917 3pm Helsinki, had the high-risk SA Mars opposition its Pluto over the Ukraine invasion so have been on danger alert since then. Tr Neptune Saturn will be in hard aspect to its Mercury North Node opposition Pluto for a worrisome two years ahead. With a blocked SA Sun square Pluto by late 2027.

Norway, 7 June 1905, by 2028 has tr Pluto square its Mars.

 Both Sweden charts point to considerable unrest at the same time. The 6 June 1523 JC has Solar Arc Pluto conjunct its Uranus in 2028 with tr Uranus in a high-anxiety square to its Neptune Saturn in Pisces just before. The Sweden 7 December 1865 3.30pm chart has Solar Arc Uranus upending its Sun in 2028 for a considerable upheaval; with tr Neptune Saturn in hard aspect to Uranus Jupiter Mercury running up from 2026 onwards. Plus tr Pluto conjunct the Midheaven in 2027/28.

 By mid 2028 there is a war-associated Saturn in Taurus square Pluto in Aquarius at around 8 degrees; with Neptune around 6 Aries and Uranus at 10/11 Gemini.

  Nothing is certain in astrology and the above may have in some instances internal outcomes rather than the prospect of an external enemy. But the pressures do appear to be merging in an uncomfortable way across the sector of Russia’s neighbours.

 By 2027/28 the Russia 8 November 1917 chart has tr Pluto opposition the Neptune for confusion and devastation; with a bumpy rise before then with tr Uranus in an explosive and insecure square to the Mars in 2026/27; and tr Neptune weakening its grip on power Pluto in 2027/28.   The Russia 1991 chart is labouring against major obstacles and hardship through 2026/27 with tr Pluto conjunct the Saturn. With a substantial and unnerving jolt late 2026 with SA Mars conjunct Uranus; further knocks to shake nerves with tr Uranus opposition the Mars in 2027/28 – and a devastating SA Neptune square Pluto by 2027.

 Putin’s initial presidency chart from 31 December 1999 will be mired in a swamp through 2026 with tr Pluto conjunct the Neptune. With a blocked Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the Sun in 18 months from now – and if he survives that long a discouraging uphill battle in 2029/30 with tr Pluto square the Saturn.

  It may be that the Saturn Neptune conjunction does its stuff continuing the pattern from the Revolution of 1917 and Stalin’s death in 1953 of bringing a significant shift in Russian history. But that whole region looks very unsettled for whatever reason in the years ahead, peaking in 2027/28.

ADD ON:  The earlier independence charts for Latvia of 18 November 1918 and Estonia 24 February 1918 are both showing panic, confusion in coming years.

  Latvia has a highly uncertain Solar Arc Neptune square Saturn now; and tr Neptun Saturn in hard aspect to the Mars in Capricorn opposition Pluto from 2026 peaking in 2027/28; with a devastating tr Pluto opposition Neptune in 2029.

  The Estonia 1918 chart is showing signs of high anxiety  this year and into 2026 with tr Neptune Saturn opposition Mars and square Pluto; with more panic in 2026/27 from tr Pluto opposition the Neptune, then the Neptune/Saturn midpoint and then opposing the Saturn by 2029.  So a long drawn out and stressful phase.   

Solar Eclipse – the mood of the moment

The Partial Solar Eclipse on Sunday 21 September at 29 degrees Virgo will reinforce the prevailing edgy, uncertain and uneasy mood.

  Falling in the final degree of Virgo the New Moon is in a Grand Trine to Pluto in Aquarius and Uranus in Gemini, formed into a Kite by the New Moon opposition Neptune and Saturn, tying the eclipse into the recent celestial shifts – and highlighting the Neptune Saturn conjunction which can at best have a wish for a better society, and at worst be neurotic.  Adding to the level of strain are two yods of Pluto sextile Neptune (Saturn) inconjunct Venus – and Neptune Saturn sextile Uranus inconjunct Mars; with Mars square Pluto. And that is piling complication on complication.

 Venus on the focal point of a yod can be anti-social and emotionally out of sorts. Mars on the apex point can be argumentative, headstrong and self-willed.

  Jupiter may in a minor way help to soften the effect as it trines Saturn and squares the Mars.

  This Saros series of this eclipse at 9 New South is associated with worries about loved ones, health and paperwork. Bernadette Brady remarks: “Any news will have a sense of destiny or fatedness about it.”  It was around previously in this series in 2007, 1989, 1971, 1953, 1935, 1917.

Joseph McCarthy – a blip in USA history

MCarthyism was an oddity of 20th Century American history which was a pointer to a panicky and gullible streak within the national temperament, allowing public and politicians to be caught up for a time by strident and often dishonest attacks. Mcarthy insisted that communists had infiltrated the United States federal government, universities, film industry, the armed forces. “In the ’50s, institution after institution bowed down to the Red Scare, whether it was school districts, universities, libraries, law firms, Hollywood movie studios — the elite organisations all bent the knee to the red-baiters.” He caused havoc from 1950 to 1954 until he was censured and retreated into alcoholism.

 The difference to the present situation is that MCarthy was a junior Senator and not a White House administration. But the pattern is relatively similar given the recent co-ordinated push to intimidate and stifle critical voices and Trump’s campaigns against leading universities, media companies and law firms.

 One commentator said: “What makes the Republican and conservative hypocrisy so depressing is that, at a time when free speech in the west needs thoughtful defenders, its self-proclaimed champions have revealed themselves as posturing partisans. But perhaps the only surprise is their lack of pretence.”

 McCarthy, born 14 November 1908 3pm Grand Chute, Wisconsin, left school early though returned later to college for a law degree and served in the Marine Corps though saw little active service. ‘Some of his claims of heroism were later shown to be exaggerated or falsified.’ 

  He had an intense, obsessive 8th house Scorpio Sun. And more significantly had the Uranus opposition Neptune of the time on his MC/IC axis.  There is an irrationally fanatical side to Uranus Neptune which he clearly lived out; which can be inspired but also obdurately stubborn even when faced with incontrovertible evidence he was wrong. This opposition squared onto Mars Venus in Libra, making him verbally combative and emotionally erratic. Plus his Mars was in an enraged, can-be-ruthless trine to Pluto.

  When he started his high-profile campaign to root out reds-under-the-bed in early 1950, Uranus was just into Cancer about to move with considerable disruption across the USA Venus, Jupiter, Sun in Cancer in the following years. In 1950 the USA Solar Arc North Node was exactly conjunct the USA Pluto (opposition Mercury) – which is the indicator on the USA chart of an attraction for demagogues ( = a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument.)

  McCarthy’s relationship chart with the USA had a hyper-emotional, publicity-attracting composite Mars Neptune Venus conjunction. Tr Pluto was in a trapped, enraging conjunction to the composite Mars when he departed the scene in 1954.

 There are not many similarities between McCarthy and Trump astrologically = apart from a North Node in Gemini which can produce a tendency to be wild and wayout. But Trump’s first term did have tr Uranus square the USA Mercury opposition Pluto, as he set about following his mentor and McCarthy acolyte Roy Cohn’s playbook of ‘attack, attack and never apologise.’

  Trump’s relationship chart with the USA is also different from McCarthy’s though it has a similar chained-together Saturn Pluto aspect. The DT/USA composite Neptune is catching the upcoming Virgo Solar Eclipse this month for muddle and indecision and the uncertain tr Saturn Neptune opposition the composite Neptune continues throughout this winter. Where it shows further signs of sagging public support is from late April 2026 onwards with tr Neptune undermining the composite Sun by square; with more rising tensions from July 2026 into 2027 as tr Uranus squares the composite Saturn. During this time tr Neptune Saturn will have early in 2026 squared the USA financial Venus moving on to lower national confidence further in 2027 as tr Neptune squares the USA Jupiter. Again not like McCarthy but a definite slide downhill.

 At the time of McCarthy, former president Harry Truman lamented “the rise to power of the demagogue who lives on untruth; it is the spread of fear and the destruction of faith in every level of our society.” A Post reporter described “a period of national turmoil. It was the closest we ever came to a real totalitarian atmosphere.” It wasn’t the media who brought McCarthy down since they’d been exposing his lies in the preceding years. In rural and low-income areas, he was deemed to have been unfairly vilified and gained support. Ultimately it was when the politicians turned against him and there was sufficient of an upswell of public opinion that his platform was demolished.

  One point in the USA chart is noteworthy which is the Saturn in Libra which at best is fair-minded, promotes social responsibility, balance, justice and cooperation. Cohn’s Pluto in Cancer was square it; and McCarthy’s Uranus (opposition Neptune) was also exactly square. Trump’s financial Jupiter is conjunct the USA Saturn which could be positive but in the circumstances appears to be leaning more towards allowing financial considerations to trump fairness.

USA Freedom of Speech – another nail in the coffin

The USA’s much revered 1st amendment is in shock after Trump announced he is suing the New York Times for $15bn saying it had become a “mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party”. “It has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” he posted on his social media platform.

  The wording of the First Amendment, ratified on 15 December 1791, states that “Congress shall make no law – – abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

 A spokesperson for the newspaper said the suit was “an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting”, adding it “has no merit. The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics.”   NYT founded 18 September 1851.

 Political discomfort is rising still further after late night host Jimmy Kimmel, one of the USA’s  best known television personalities, has been suspended indefinitely after he erroneously suggest that the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk was aligned with the Maga movement. Kimmel is the longest-serving late-night talk show host on the air and was paid an estimated $16 million a year.

  What he said is not defensible but in the context of US right wing media’s excesses since 2016 – Fox etc – and extremely lax USA libel laws, which have been bulwarked by the 1st Amendment, often to a ludicrous degree (in comparison with the UK), the whole situation is Monty Pythonesque (beyond bizarre).

  The USA Bill of Rights, 15 December 1791, with a Sagittarius Sun square Mars and a revolutionary Pluto opposition Uranus has a combative feel. The disruptive Uranus opposition Pluto has moved by Solar Arc to put pressure on the (fair minded, balanced) Libra North Node now and through 2026 so the challenges will continue.

 Trump’s relationship with the Bill of Rights was rattled by the recent Lunar Eclipse opposing the composite Venus for an emotional upset; and will continue to spasm through 2026/27 with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Saturn.

 The New York Times relationship chart with Trump has an aggravated, trapped, enraged tr Pluto opposition the composite Mars through 2026/27.

  Jimmy Kimmel, 13 November 1967, New York, a Sun Neptune in Scorpio has the upcoming Virgo Eclipse next week conjunct his Uranus as his life is turned upside down. His relationship with Trump will intensify over the coming three years with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Saturn and square Pluto, then Mercury and Sun. With serious aggravation mounting in 2027/28.

 Democracy dies in Darkness – reads the Washington Post banner – owner Jeff Bezos notwithstanding.

 See also: “Trump’s suit against the New York Times is nonsense. Yet it poses a grave threat.” Robert Reich

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/18/trumps-suit-against-the-new-york-times-is-nonsense-yet-it-poses-a-grave-threat

Charlie Sheen – the past is another country?

Actor Charlie Sheen has launched an image rebrand with a memoir and a Netflix documentary with all the exuberance he used to devote to drugs, drink and tumultuous relationships. He says it is not an apology tour though his father Martin Sheen evidently wishes he would own up to his mistakes and “grow up and get serious for once in his life.”

 His early career was award-strewn with numerous hits to his credit including Platoon (1986), Wall Street (1987), Young Guns (1988), Major League (1989), The Arrival (1996). In the 2000s, he replaced Michael J. Fox as the star of ABC’s Spin City and by 2010, was the highest-paid actor on television, earning US $1.8 million per episode of Two and a Half Men. But was eventually fired over drug issues.

  He has been married three times, had innumerable relationships and liaisons with hookers; has five children and one grandchild. He was diagnosed with HIV in 2011 and in his  autobiography The Book of Sheen he revealed he has had in the past sexual encounters with several men, as well.

 He was born 3 September 1965 10.48 pm New York, and is part of the rebellious, chaotic Uranus Pluto in Virgo generation with his Virgo Sun close by opposition Saturn in Pisces and square a Gemini North Node. His emphasised North Node in negative mode can be irresponsible, scattered, has a ’bull in a china shop’ approach and difficulty understanding why others don’t see his point of view. His fiery Sagittarius Moon opposes Jupiter pointing to an indulgent mother. His Venus in sociable Libra in his performing and party-loving 5th house is unaspected which would tend to make him obsessive, single minded and overly self-contained. Plus Mars Neptune conjunct in Scorpio in his 6th house which could point to drug (Neptune) and other health issues.

 His father Martin Sheen, 3 August 1940 8.03pm Dayton, Ohio, – Apocalypse Now, The West Wing, is a very different temperament having seven planets in Fixed signs as opposed to Charlie’s six in Mutable signs. Father is steady and stubborn where son is excitable, highly-strung and uber-restless.

 Martin Sheen has a flamboyant New Moon in Leo conjunct Mars with Pluto also in Leo though mainly in the 6th house which would calm the Leonine showiness a touch; and Jupiter Saturn and Uranus in Taurus.

 His relationship chart chart with Charlie has a controlling composite Sun, Venus, Pluto conjunction and an erratic, high-tension, anxiety-provoking composite Saturn opposition Neptune Moon square Uranus –  a tricky combination of closeness and rebellious acting out. The composite Mars is catching the approaching Virgo Solar Eclipse which hints at an argumentative mood between them for a few months ahead.

  Charlie’s chart does indicate a new cycle beginning with tr Uranus crossing his Ascendant as he steps out hoping to put a new slant on his image.  But he will have to look after his health with his Solar Arc Uranus Pluto opposition Saturn impacting on his 6th house Neptune over the next three or four years.

Venezuela – a narco-terrorism target

Venezuela is feeling the brunt of Trump’s unorthodox approach to unsanctioned military action as another boat from the deep south carrying drugs is sunk. There are murmurs that this is just the first target and Nicolas Maduro, the dictatorial president is the real prize. He is already hiding in one of his 63 underground bunkers lest he faced the same fate as Manuel Noriega in 1989. Maduro is in his third successive six-year term as president, after rigged elections, arrested and exiled opposition leaders. The USA now has a large naval task force in the Caribbean equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a US air force build up in Puerto Rico. And the US Department of Defense has rebranded itself the Department of War. A $50 million bounty has been put on Maduro for masterminding the drug networks endangering the US, twice that for Bin Laden.

One driving force on foreign policy inside the White House is Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants.  He said “The president of the United States is going to wage war on narco-terrorist organisations.”  The USA has already leaked the co-ordinates on social media of his deepest bunker five storeys below Simón Bolívar airport? Beijing, a Maduro ally, has already issued a statement warning the US against the “unilateral and excessive use of force”.

  Venezuela, 5 July 1811 3pm Caracas, does have signs of upheaval and internal unrest in 2026 with the Solar Arc Uranus square the 4th house Pluto – with the Pluto already feeling the effects of the recent Lunar Eclipse hinting at the need for a change of attitude.

  Maduro’s initial presidency chart, 19 April 2013 2.05pm does have tr Uranus conjunct the Midheaven now and into 2026 again pointing at a significant change of direction ahead. With the early 2026 Aquarius Solar Eclipse falling conjunct the Descendant and opposition the Leo Moon pointing to crisis relations with neighbours.

 Maduro’s personal chart 23 November 1962 9.03 pm Caracas,  has tr Uranus opposing his Sagittarius Sun Mercury now and through 2026 for a time of major disruption; plus a discouraging Solar Arc Sun conjunct his Saturn in 2026.

   Trump certainly dislikes Maduro with a composite Mars Pluto conjunction in their relationship chart. As does Rubio.

  Though there is nothing too specific pointing to a major escalation.

Pete Murray – rock n’ rolling to 100

Pete Murray, a fixture on BBC pop music shows through the 1950s/60s and on is amazingly still going strong with his 100th birthday this week. He hosted the rock and roll programme Six-Five Special, appeared as a regular panellist on Juke Box Jury and was a recurring presence in the BBC’s coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest. He returned to broadcasting for a Boom Radio special recently over 70 years after his career began.

 He was born born 19 September 1925 at 1.30pm London, and has a hard-working, high-vitality Sun conjunct Mars in late Virgo opposition a maverick Uranus in his communicative 3rd house. Mercury also in chatty Virgo is in a sensible sextile to Saturn in Scorpio and trine/sextile a super-confident Jupiter opposition Pluto. His Libra Moon is square the Jupiter opposition Pluto making him well-designed to interface with the public, having a knack for being in tune with the prevailing mood.   

 His 8th house Pluto in Cancer will have given him a subtle but powerful influence.

  What is intriguing is his Pluto is conjunct Sirius = honour, renown, Jupiter  = as was the case with Jimmy Carter who died recently aged 100. Ditto Bob Dole who died at 98. Queen Elizabeth 11 died at 96. George H Bush died at 94 and Hugh Hefner at 91. That may be coincidence since Marilyn Monroe also had Pluto conjunct Sirius – but it clearly has a tendency to longevity.  

Robert Redford – Leo + Virgo + Jupiter

Robert Redford, one of Hollywood’s pre-eminent leading men, renowned for his performances in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, The Sting and All the President’s Men has died. He was also acclaimed for launching the Sundance Film Festival, aimed at shining a light on new film-makers. It has been credited with launching the careers of directors including Quentin Tarantino and Darren Aronofsky. In 1980, he made his directorial debut with Ordinary People, which won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best director.

 He was born 18 August 1936 8.02pm Santa Monica, California, with an accountant father and a Texan mother. He credited his environmentalism and love of nature to his childhood visits to Texas. Keen on art and sport, he muddled through college before settling to acting. He married Lola Van Wagenen in 1958, with whom he had four children later divorcing and latterly marrying his long-term girlfriend Sibylle Szaggars in 2009. His eldest son, died when he was two months old and his other son a writer and producer, died of cancer at 58 five years ago.

  He retired from acting in 2018 although he later made a series of cameo appearances, including in White House Plumbers, a HBO television series about the team behind the Watergate break-ins that led to the collapse of Nixon’s presidency.

  He had a hard-working 6th house Leo Sun conjunct Alphard, which can give artistic and musical talents as well as attract fame. His Sun was unaspected making him an independent spirit. His 6th house also had a stellium in Virgo of Venus, Neptune, Mercury, Moon opposition Saturn in Pisces square Jupiter in Sagittarius in the 9th. Highly Mutable, highly strung, fidgety, a multi-tasker and a perfectionist, keen on creating a better society (Saturn Neptune) and saved from the worst excesses of Virgo/6th house by  his enthusiastic, expansive Jupiter in its own house the 9th. Handled well, such a Jupiter makes for a talented teacher and enlightened spokesman, tolerant, wholehearted and community-minded.

  He also had Mars in flamboyant Leo conjunct Pluto in his entertaining 5th house so he would pack quite a punch in his  performances; with his Mars square Uranus adding yet another dimension to his freedom loving and uncompromising approach.

 His Sun/Moon midpoint was conjunct his Venus for happy one-to-one partnerships in life.

  His late Pisces Ascendant square his final degree Sagittarius Midheaven were both being triggered by the approaching Virgo Solar Eclipse and his Venus, Neptune by the recent Lunar Eclipse.

 Another huge talent gone – Neptune’s swansong in Pisces.

Canada, Carney – can he walk his words?

Mark Carney took the benefit of the anti-Trump mood when he won the Canada election and over- promised about what he could deliver. As parliament in Ottawa resumes there is chatter about how much he can actually make stick.

  Donald Trump has imposed punishing tariffs on some sectors of the economy, like steel and autos, but has granted a majority of Canadian goods a broad tariff exemption under the current US-Mexico-Canada free trade deal. Recent opinion polling suggests that voters are feeling less panicked by Trump but increasingly worried about the economy. A recent  poll indicated that Canadians felt Carney was too focused on the US president at the expense of other pressing concerns.

Mark Carney, 116 March 1965 7.56am Fort Smith, NT, Canada,  was sworn in on 14 March this year at 11.28 am Ottawa, which has a financially-blocked Pluto in the 8th plus a tricky, swampy Saturn, Sun, North Node, Neptune and Scheat in the 10th opposition a 4th house Moon which suggests a less than robust approach and one at odds with the electorate’s wishes and security (Moon in 4th).  The late Virgo Moon will be in line with the approaching Virgo Eclipse as it also opposes the Neptune – with tr Neptune Saturn in hard aspect as well all winter which points to an electorate worrying about security.

 One of Carney’s problems is that he has an over-hopeful, high-finance Jupiter opposition Neptune which sits on top of the Canada tough-frontiersman Saturn in Scorpio opposition Pluto. So whatever momentary uplift he offered to the voters, once the dust settled they would start to worry about his ability to deliver. On the Carney/Canada relationship chart by 2026 tr Pluto will continue to conjunct the composite Neptune and square the composite Venus as the early hopes start to fade with financial realities biting.

 The Bank of Canada chart, 11 March 1935 is showing the strain over the next two years plus with the Solar Arc Pluto conjunct Mars in 2026 and SA Mars opposition Pluto in 2027.

 The Canada country chart, 1 July 1867 12 am Ottawa, if the start time is accurate, is changing its future outlook and direction as well as its friends with Pluto moves this year into the 11th house for years to come; and sensing a lessening of old ties and ambitions with an uncertain tr Saturn Neptune moving through the 12th. Tr Uranus through the 2nd will make for financial ups and downs for several years ahead, not necessarily disastrous but less steady than before. Tr Jupiter through the 4th this year will make the country keen to find security within their own borders and will bounce out with more exuberance from July 2026 for a year with tr Jupiter through their 5th.  

  Canada’s relationship with the USA, never amiable at the best of times is under strain exactly now with tr Pluto making the final square to the composite Saturn; with uncertainty in 2026 and a tussle for the upper hand in 2027.

Carney’s personal chart with its stellium in Virgo of Uranus, Moon, Pluto, Mars sitting across from his Pisces Sun, Venus and Saturn square a Gemini North Node is more impetuous and unpredictable than his image might suggest. Plus a Boris Johnson head-in-the-clouds Jupiter opposition Neptune. His Solar Arc Midheaven will oppose his Moon, Pluto, Mars over the coming year into 2027 which suggests slow progress if not absolute deadlock.  Whether or not he will last the course is not clear from his chart but he is certainly running into total catastrophe towards the end of this decade.