Astrology of Today’s News

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Pedro Sanchez, prime minister of Spain since 2018, is sinking under a sea of corruption charges implicating family members and allies. His brother is on trial accused of influence peddling. His wife has also been accused of misuse of funds and influence peddling. A former close ally José Zapatero has been named in an investigation into alleged money laundering. And police have raided the Socialist headquarters in Madrid as part of a probe into allegations of a dirty tricks campaign that the opposition has dubbed “the Socialists’ Watergate”. The Socialist Party has been under scrutiny since a former transport minister and deputy party leader, was implicated in an investigation into a network that allegedly received kickbacks from the sale of €50m (£43m) worth of facemasks during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The accumulation of cases makes clear that these are not isolated episodes or the fruit of dark conspiracies,” warned centre-left newspaper El País, traditionally sympathetic to the Socialist Party. “The investigations are linked to the nucleus of power which has governed for the past eight years.”

 Pedro Sanchez, 29 February 1972 10.25 am Madrid, Spain, is a Sun Pisces on the focal point of a Mutable T square from Saturn in Gemini opposition Neptune; with an Air Grand Trine of Pluto trine Saturn trine an Aquarius North Node. All of these are being rattled by the shift of Uranus into Gemini.

 He also has a rules-don’t-apply-to-me, pushily-confident Jupiter in Capricorn square Pluto. Tr Uranus will continue on to oppose his Neptune from this August through October and again in spring 2027 – so a nerve-stretched and disruptive period.

 His Prime Ministerial chart from 2 June 2018 has tr Pluto conjunct the Mars exactly now and repeating on and off through 2027 is frustrating and trapped.

  Oddly enough he is a reasonably good fit with the earlier Spain 19 January 1479 chart which has a Uranus Neptune conjunction in Sagittarius and Pluto in the same degree Libra.

 He earned kudos for standing up to Trump and he certainly does not like him with a composite Neptune trine Mars sextile Pluto on their relationship chart – but it may also have been a publicity-attracting distraction from his other woes.

 Germany likewise, though for different reasons, is facing pressure to replace their leadership. Friederich Merz, never a popular figure, who took three attempts to become party chair and two attempts to be elected chancellor, is slipping further in approval ratings as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) rises.

Merz has projected strength abroad, after loosening debt restrictions to inject €1tn into Germany’s derelict infrastructure and military and emerging as the biggest donor of military aid to Ukraine. He criticised the US-Israeli war on Iran as ill-prepared and humiliating, triggering a massive row with Donald Trump.

 But his election chart, 6 May 2025 10.45am Berlin was not well-starred to put it mildly with a road-blocked Pluto conjunct Descendant opposition Mars; the unlucky Scheat siting between Neptune and Saturn; the destructive Algol conjunct Uranus; plus Eris conjunct Chiron. Tr Pluto moving through Aquarius, crossing the Mars/Pluto midpoint and then opposing the Mars will make it an impossibly arduous two or three years ahead.

 His own chart, 11 November 1965, Brilon, Germany, with a Scorpio Sun conjunct Saturn with Jupiter Pluto in Leo in square hints at a determined but inflexible temperament. Tr Pluto opposition his Uranus and square his Mercury in Scorpio will have him embroiled in increasingly toxic discussions  which won’t ease up through 2027/28.

 Germany, 1 January 1871 12 am Berlin, is going through a major period of unrest with more coming as its Solar Arc Uranus will square Mars in 2027 and conjunct its Saturn in 2028 – which could be explosive, certainly disruptive.  Germany will face the same slump as the UK and EU in 2029 as tr Neptune squares their Capricorn Sun.

 Spain 1479 has tr Pluto conjunct the Aquarius Sun in 2028/29. And Spain 1975 has tr Neptune opposition the Pluto by 2029.

 There will be a realignment clearly in many Western countries as well as the Middle East towards the end of the decade.

Paul McCartney shows no sign of slowing down in his early 80s with a new album out – The Boys of Dungeon Lane – of “memory songs” that reflect on his childhood in Liverpool, birdwatching on the banks of the Mersey and knocking about with his Beatles bandmates John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Reviews have described it as “a late-career masterpiece” (Rolling Stone) and “McCartney’s best album of the 21st Century” (Variety).

  He’s pleased about forthcoming plans to open a Beatles museum in London and intrigued by Sam Mendes’ forthcoming Beatles biopics,  four in all (one for each member), due in 2028, with Paul Mescal playing McCartney.

  Born 18 June 1942 2pm Liverpool, England, he is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of 100 million records, firstly with the Beatles, then his own group Wings and solo records. One of the wealthiest musicians in the world he has an estimated fortune of £1 billion. His charity work is focused on animal rights, seal hunting, land mines, vegetarianism, poverty, and music education.

  His time of birth is said to be 2am or 2pm, the latter being the one most likely.

 This gives him a career-oriented 10th house Gemini Sun (favourite sign of pop singers)with lucky, confident Jupiter also in his 10^th. An ultra-determined Mars Pluto conjunction in Leo in his 11^th makes him a force to be reckoned with out in society. Musical Neptune in Virgo on his Ascendant is trine an inventive Saturn Uranus conjunction in Gemini in his communicative and well-travelled 9^th sextile his Pluto Mars. That is not dissimilar to the present planetary set up as he comes full circle to his Uranus Return.

  An emotionally intense and secretive 8^th house Venus in Taurus squares his flamboyant Leo Moon – making him both keen to be noticed and equally keen to protect his privacy.

 His creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonic chart are strongly aspected as are his master 11 and 22^nd.  

  He is not only enduring he has a talent for reinventing himself and turning his talents in  in new directions.   

Kim Kardashian is apparently stepping out with Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton.

  Her track record is not great in the relationship stakes with a brief first marriage which ended acrimoniously with hints of an abusive husband, a second that may or not have been a publicity stunt to boost the family brand, and a seven year stretch with the not-entirely-stable Kanye West which produced four children.

 She was born 21 October 1980 10.46 am Los Angeles, California with her parents splitting when she was 11 and her mother remarrying Bruce subsequently transitioned to Caitlyn Jenner.

 Kim has a Sun Pluto conjunction in Libra which hints at a controlling father. Robert Kardashian, 22 February 1944, does have a hard-edged Mars Saturn in Gemini which falls in her 7^th house of relationships and their relationship chart has a scary though high-vitality composite Mars Pluto Jupiter conjunction. So she grew up with a picture of super-charged men, never mind the muddle over Caitlyn.

  It does explain a fair amount of why she married Kanye – and his Sun Jupiter in Gemini does fall in her 7^th house and they both have Pisces Moons so it should have been a real possibility. His passionate Venus Mars conjunction in Taurus falls in her 5^th house of social fun and children. Though there were explosive undertones and Kanye’s Pluto falls in her 10^th so she would find him controlling.

 Lewis Hamilton, 7 January 1985 (birth time conflicted), England, is a confident Sun Jupiter in Capricorn which falls in her financial 2^nd house. He is a Full Moon baby so eternally ambivalent about what he wants though that may settle as he gets older. His enthusiastic Venus Mars conjunction in Pisces is in her 3^rd for lively conversations.  But his Uranus on her Ascendant hints he may try to change her image which won’t sit comfortably; and his Saturn is conjunct her 12^th house Uranus so he may put a damper on her independence causing friction.

 Their relationship chart is not good with a completely-trapped and deeply frustrated composite Saturn Pluto square Mars; and a Sun, Venus, Mercury, Uranus needs-space conjunction. Pushing and pulling on a considerable scale.

 I can’t see it working and would advise against it.

Wild and wayout actor Nick Cage is back in a well-reviewed (mainly) “Spider-Noir,” his first TV leading role, about a Depression-era private investigator pulled back into his  crime-fighting Spider-Man alter ego.

  Cage’s surrealistic method of acting attracts divided opinion.  Film director David Lynch described him as “the jazz musician of American acting”; others say he overacts. He describes his intentionally extreme performances as “mega-acting”. Another critic said he ”is clearly attracted to grotesque characters and is celebrated for his wild and unhinged approach to them. He has the presence of a leading man, and the eccentricities of a character actor.”

 He has lived his life with the same immoderate zest, which landed him in trouble with the IRS despite earning many millions. His business manager pointed out he had bought 15 personal residences, a Gulfstream jet, a flotilla of yachts, a squadron of Rolls Royces and millions of dollars in jewellery and art.

  After taking on sub-standard film roles to pay off his debts, it took till 2022 to clear his sheet.

 He was born 7 January 1964 5.30am Los Angeles, into the talented Coppola family, and has had a long and award-strewn career despite a few flops. His Capricorn Sun is conjunct a financially ambitious Mars in Capricorn in his 2^nd; with an extravagant Venus conjunct Saturn also in is 2^nd. Which just goes to show that the standard definition of Saturn in the 2^nd hardly applies (nor with Sarah Ferguson). His Jupiter in the 4^th hints at an illustrious family of whom he is proud.

 What fires up his eccentric and over-the-top streak is the prominence of his rebellious, tumultuous, keen-to-push-the-boundaries Uranus Pluto conjunction in Virgo which is trine his Sun and also on the apex of a yod inconjunct Venus sextile Jupiter in Aries. With another yod from Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune inconjunct Jupiter which has a tendency to grandiosity and over-confidence. So quite a melange of innovative, overly forceful, ahead-of-his-time, resistance-arousing, law-unto-himself, excessive energy. A Jupiterian yod can have a beneficial effect on social trends but not if it flips into arrogance.

 He should be coming into a more progressive career phase from now onwards despite tr Saturn crossing his Jupiter this year and his Progressed Mars still in a blocked opposition to his Pluto – but these negative influences will fade. Tr Saturn moving across his IC into his 4^th will bring a step up in terms of visibility and success in the years ahead; and tr Jupiter will bring in money for the next year moving through his 8th, heading for a peak year in terms of reputation from late 2028 through 2029.

 Uranus moving into his 6^th for the next six or seven years does hint at an urge to go his own original way on whatever he does on the work front.  

His harmonic charts are interesting – a strong actors’ 15H with a prominent Moon for public-pleasing.

A seeking and searching, extremely determined 7H.

A breakthrough genius 13H which demands maturity to work well.

And a rise and fall, wheel of fortune, 10H.

Thespians rule the day with a delightful new astrology book which dramatizes the archetypes behind each planet, involving different pairs in a creative discussion with each other – in verse.

 The authors, John Wadsworth and Andreea Bradu, were working with astrology and in theatre in Glastonbury when inspiration struck about the benefits of having the Sun talk directly to the Moon or Uranus or Saturn, or Mercury to Neptune. Not only was it a unique form of entertainment it helped them work on issues in their own relationship and brought the spirit of each planet alive in a way that the audience found healing.

   There is a wealth of perceptive descriptions of the planets which will give even seasoned astrologers a deeper and refreshing awareness of their nature.                     

Luna the Moon who attends to the rhythms and tides of human feeling and guards the sanctuary of our inner life.

Mercury, the artful wit conversing with Neptune who lives in the world of imagination and cast images before words.

Saturn, the Lord of Time and keeper of the karmic accounts.

Mars, the warrior, who carries the potent force within the seed of life.    

 Even more so will it be blessing for those struggling in the foothills of learning, bewildered by astrological cookbooks and finding it difficult to embrace the innate core of each of the planets.

 As a technique in couples therapy it has much to recommend it. When your Saturn collides with your partner’s Venus and blocks warmth, give each a voice. Common sense and practicality has its place, but so does frivolity and fun.

 Mark Jones in his foreword remarks: “Thss book is more than a poetic experiment. It is an invitation to listen to the language of myth, to the symbolic imagination and perhaps more importantly to the many voices that live within us.”

Available from www.wessexastrologer.com or Amazon

Kenneth Branagh, once hailed as the next Olivier, has returned full circle to play Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, his first Stratford appearance in 30 years. The RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) started off his career with a flourish when he played to sold-out audiences in Henry V aged 24. Since then he has starred and directed Shakespeare films and branched out into the mainstream with, most recently Dunkirk, Oppenheimer, Harry Potter and Hercule Poirot.

 His success is all the more laudable given his early Belfast upbringing which gave him an Irish accent which he erased at school because of bullying, learning received pronunciation which has undoubtedly heled his career.

 He was born 10 December 1960 4.50pm Belfast, Northern Ireland, and came to the UK when he was nine as his family escaped the Troubles. He has a Sagittarius Sun in the hard-working 6^th house square a Virgo Moon. More significantly he has a hard-edged Mars in Cancer opposition Saturn, perhaps a hint of risks in his early Belfast days, in a talented Half Grand Sextile to Pluto North Node in Virgo and Neptune in Scorpio.

 He has another Half Grand Sextile from Pluto opposition South Node in Pisces, sextile/trine Neptune and Jupiter in Capricorn.

  His Mercury in early Sagittarius is on the focal point of a T Square to Pluto opposition his South Node.  

 Shakespeare’s exact date of birth is unclear because of a muddle over baptism records but is around late April 1564 when Pluto was in mid Pisces and Uranus was in early Sagittarius opposition Neptune in Gemini – creative and inventive.

 Both these placings in Shakespeare’s chart connects to the great actors who played his roles.  Judi Dench and Branagh have their Mercury in Sagittarius conjunct WS’s Uranus and opposition WS Neptune; Alan Howard had his Mercury in Virgo square WS’s Uranus and Neptune.

 WS’s Pluto falls in Branagh’s career 10^th house and in Olivier’s 10^th house as well, is square Judi Dench’s Sagittarius Sun, sextile John Gielgud’s Mercury, square Derek Jacobi’s Venus, and conjunct Peggy Ashcroft’s Mars and square her Mercury, and is square Alan Howard’s Nodal axis.

 Tuned into the Bard’s inspirational language.

Clutching for straws in the intractable standoff with Iran with Trump sounding increasingly desperate and the Iranians stronger than before with the Strait of Hormuz forever after their winning strategy – two separate astro-thoughts.

  One is that this weekend till the middle of August tr Neptune at 4 degrees Aries will significantly impact Netanyahu, his relationship with Trump and Israel.

Working backwards. Israel’s chart will have a disappointing tr Neptune square its Venus in Cancer. Netanyahu’s Uranus in Cancer at the same degree will be nerve-stretched and agitated. His relationship chart with Trump has a composite Venus at 4 degrees Libra so disillusionment between them as well; with two composite Saturn midpoints also causing great uncertainty and suspicion in their relationship.  

This Neptunian influence repeats in the spring 2027 and late year into early 2028 – if either or both are still standing by that time career-wise. With Netanyahu facing a messy career upheaval August to late October this year with tr Uranus square his Pluto/MC midpoint, it looks less than likely he will be a main player.

 The other thought – oh sweet irony – is that Trump is likely to end up with a distinctly inferior deal to the one the Obama administration reached in 2015. Trump has called it “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into” and claimed: “Never, ever, ever in my life have I seen any transaction so incompetently negotiated as our deal with Iran.”  Hey ho, hoist up his own flagpole.

  His obsessive dislike of Barack Obama, no doubt coloured by his inherent racism, antipathy to centrist politics – and envy of Obama’s popularity – is exacerbated by their synastry. Obama’s Leo Sun is conjunct DT’s 12^th house Pluto stirring dark, subterranean feeling of envy, jealousy and rage in DT. Obama’s Uranus North Node are conjunct DT’s Mars Ascendant which is a recipe for an explosive chemistry. As if that wasn’t enough Obama’s Mars in Virgo is also square DT’s Sun Uranus and Moon for an angry clash of aims.

 Their relationship chart has a bleak composite Saturn trine Pluto – stuck together and resenting it. Plus an impatient composite Moon opposition Mars square Jupiter conjunct the pugnacious Antares. And worse, composite Neptune opposition Saturn square Uranus, Mercury, Sun North Node = doubt, suspicion, distrust, differing agendas and an almost fanatically uncompromising streak.

 The Iran attack took place when the tr Mars square Uranus was exactly conjunct and square the composite DT/Obama midheaven. Which hints the ill judged foray may have been, in part, an effort to outdo Obama – and wow did that ever backfire.

 Other odds and ends – Trump’s chart relocated to Iran puts his wayward Uranus in the 7^th house of allies and enemies; with an unrealistic Neptune in the 10^th. The combative Antares sits on the relocated Ascendant and the unfortunate Scheat on the IC. His Progressed Moon is moving through the 12^th house of his relocated chart for almost another year which is not generally progressive.

 The FT has a couple of cogent pieces about how Putin and Trump both threw away strong hands in acts of ‘geopolitical self-harm.’

‘Russia’s inability to subdue Ukraine is the most expensive failed war in modern history. By intimidating neighbours like Finland, Putin has more than doubled the length of Nato’s boundary with Russia entirely through his own doing.’

‘Likewise, America’s sway over the Middle East is broken. In very different ways, Kyiv and Tehran are showing the world how to bring a colossus low.’

‘Each is burdening their countries with costs that will persist many years after they have lost power.’

Blue Ivy Carter, daughter of Beyonce and Harper of the Beckham clan, both in their early teens, appear keen to launch themselves into adult careers, following their mothers’ footstep.

 Blue Ivy, 7 January 2012 6pm New York, is listed as a singer, actress, and dancer. Her 2019 single, “Brown Skin Girl” (with Beyoncé, Wizkid and Saint Jhn), entered the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Music Video at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, winning her a second Guinness World Record for being the youngest individually credited Grammy Award recipient. She made her feature film debut in 2024 in Mufasa: The Lion King, portraying Princess Kiara.

Harper Beckham, 10 July 2011 7.55am Los Angeles, appears in numerous Beckham family photos in the media and Instagram and is evidently about to launch her own skincare range, aged 14. The photo above in a sleek black dress, an echo of mother Victoria at a more mature age, was taken at an 80^th birthday celebration for her grandfather with her brother Romeo.

 Both have lucky, self-assured, indulgent and acquisitive Jupiter in Taurus in their 10^th house of career in a confident trine to Pluto. So no doubting their ambition or good fortune.

 Blue Ivy has her Pluto and Capricorn Sun in her hard-working 6^th house with her Sun in an energetic trine to Mars in Virgo.  Saturn in her 4^th hints at a home life concerned with work and duty rather than play; and her Cancer Sun on the cusp of her 12^th opposition Pluto square Uranus hints at an unpredictable and not always nurturing mother experience.  She will be a strong-minded individual, rebellious at times and disruptive. Her Neptune in the 8th could bring her success as an actress from her ability to project a dreamy aura.

 Harper has her intensely emotional Scorpio Moon in her 4^th so a different family experience and much stability from her father to whom she seems close. Her Cancer Sun is in the creative 12^th; with her Venus in Cancer adding to her design skills in her friendly 11th in a charming, seductive opposition to Pluto in her performing 5^th house. She will be intent on making a splash no matter what she does.

[I don’t normally write up under agers but since their parents appear to flaunt these two it hardly seems necessary.]

Nicola Sturgeon’s former husband Peter Murrell has admitted embezzling £400,000 over 12 years from SNP party funds. She said she was “angry, hurt, sad and very distressed” by his admission but denied knowing anything about his actions. Critics said it was inconceivable she was unaware of what Peter Murrell was doing when they ruled the nationalists as a power couple.

  After her surprise decision to stand down as first minister and party leader in February 2023, the police raided the couple’s home near Glasgow two months later. Murrell had been responsible for its day-to-day running of the party since 1999.

 Murrell born 8 December 1964, Edinburgh, has a Sagittarius Sun opposition North Node in Gemini square a formidable Pluto, Mars, Uranus conjunction so more of a wild card than his boring-bank-manager image would suggest. He also has Jupiter in indulgent, acquisitive Taurus in a high-finance and scandal-prone opposition to Neptune Venus in Scorpio. At the moment his Solar Arc Sun is square his Neptune exactly and his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct – hinting at a year of devastation. Since his arrest the whole stellium of Uranus, Mars, Pluto in its Solar Arc positions has been tugging on his Venus Neptune opposition Jupiter.

 When two chart configurations collide by Solar Arc it usually brings a life changing phase.

 Nicola Sturgeon, 19 July 1970 3.16pm Irvine, Scotland, has a Sun Cancer conjunct Mars in Leo in the communicative 9^th house as part of a Half Grand Sextile to Neptune in Scorpio opposition Saturn in Taurus sextile/trine Pluto and Sun Mars. She was under considerable pressure when she stood down, from criticism about failing public services to a misbegotten trans argument, as tr Pluto had been opposing her Sun and then Mars.

  She is not out of the woods yet since her Solar Arc Mars will be conjunct her Pluto later 2026 into early 2027 which will be trapped and infuriating. Her Solar Arc Sun/Mars midpoint will conjunct her Pluto by 2029 and the Sun by 2031 – so a long run of blocked, scary influences. Plus this year she has had a highly strung SA Uranus conjunct her Neptune – so her entire life has been given, and will continue to get, a shake up of the negative variety. Her Progressed Moon is going into her 4^th now for two years ahead so she will no doubt try to disappear into a protected space and keep her head down. Tr Uranus into her 8^th within weeks and staying until the early 2030s hints at an erratic phase financially and emotionally.

  The SNP, 7 April 1934 chart, is showing signs of an emotional upset this year with tr Uranus square the Venus; and their relationship with Murrell hints at intense disappointment with tr Neptune square the composite Mars Uranus opposition Venus now and for some years ahead.

  The SNP relationship with Sturgeon, once hailed as she-who-could-do-no-wrong, is similarly undergoing disillusionment of considerable proportions with jolting surprises coming now and for three years ahead as well. Tr Uranus is conjunct the composite Mercury exactly now and conjunct the Sun Mars in future years; with a deeply uncertain tr Neptune conjunct the Saturn by 2028 as well.

ADD ON: Much derision in the media and comments columns as Nicola Sturgeon claimed she had been married to someone “I obviously didn’t know at all” and suggested some of the attacks on her were because she was a woman, claiming there were people in society who “look for a woman to blame” when a man “does something wrong”.

Murrell’s afflicted Sun and South Node fall in her 2^nd house of finances, suggesting financial cooperation; though the Sun individual may also cultivate the other for their own purposes. Both have Moon in Aquarius and both have Neptune in Scorpio. His Jupiter in indulgent Taurus falls in her 7^th conjunct her Saturn, initially offering enthusiastic support. What is interesting is his Saturn in Aquarius in her 4^th house  = home used for business) is on the apex of a yod to her Pluto sextile Sun Mars conjunction – inextricably bound together by fate.

  Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus in a cool opposition to Saturn so work came first. There is also a publicity seeking Mars square Neptune; and a home-comforts Jupiter probably opposition Moon.

 Their wedding chart, 16 July 2010 Glasgow, hints at equal parts  good fortune and equal and opposite of aggravation. A lucky Jupiter Uranus conjunction was opposition a downbeat, workaholic Saturn in Virgo in an iron-control, rules-don’t-apply-to-us square to Pluto. There was also a yod of Sun sextile Mars inconjunct Neptune and Nessus – for a hard-driving relationship that ended in disgrace.

  The astonishment of it all is that they remained the ‘golden couple’ for so long, spraying venom on any criticism, before the house of cards tumbled.