Astrology of Today’s News

What do hyena pups and children of dynastic families have in common? They savage each other in a bid for dominance. Even in the bird kingdom, owlets will cannibalise their smaller siblings in order to fatten up and survive. Such primal instincts run rampant in the supposed elites of the human kingdom, not only amongst the Royals but also in the Murdoch clan where the juniors wait to see if/when senior is about to do a Logan Roy, dashing his hopes of immortality.

  A Vanity Fair piece has suggested that son James was pitching plot lines to the TV series Succession, creating a surreal spectacle of the Murdoch family’s lives imitating art that imitates their lives.

  Three cogent thoughts come out of the article about Murdoch’s succession plans, having long wanted one of his three children from his second marriage – Elisabeth, 54, Lachlan, 51, and James, 50 – to take over the reins.

A family source said: “He pitted his kids against each other their entire lives.” He believed a Darwinian struggle would produce the most capable heir.

A journalist wrote: “I was struck by how sad all the Murdochs seem.”

Rupert Murdoch is convinced he will live forever, despite having recently broken his back, had seizures, two bouts of pneumonia and atrial fibrillation. His mother lived to 103.

 At present Lachlan is in control although the Fox/Dominion debacle and recent investor rebellion may spell trouble for him ahead. People close to liberally-inclined James Murdoch say he is biding his time until he and his sisters can wrest control from Lachlan, purge Fox News and transform it into a centre-right alternative to CNN. Elisabeth seems to be the sharpest, but lucked out being a woman, despite having launched her own phenomenally successful television production company – and would probably be the one to bring her father greater glory with her Jupiter sitting on his midheaven.

  Lachlan, 8 September 1971, is a charming Sun Venus in Virgo, with Sun square Saturn; and a committed ideologue with an Air Grand Trine of Saturn trine Uranus trine an ultra-stubborn Mars North Node in Aquarius, formed into a Kite with Saturn opposition Neptune Jupiter.  He is supportive of Fox’s embrace of climate denialism, white nationalism, and stolen election conspiracies. Tr Saturn in Pisces may damp his enthusiasm more than slightly in 2023/24.

  The relationship chart between himself and James has a power-struggling, hostile-dislike composite Mars square Pluto and a suspicious Saturn opposition Neptune. The fault lines between them will open up sharply in 2025/2026 when tr Pluto is square the composite Sun and tr Neptune Saturn in Aries tug at the Mars Pluto square.

James, 13 December 1972, is a downbeat Sun Sagittarius opposition Saturn possibly/probably square a sensitive Pisces Moon – although with a pushily-confident Jupiter square Pluto to balance out his self-doubts. Plus a passionately enthusiastic, can-be-vengeful and determined Mars Venus in Scorpio.

Elisabeth, 22 August 1968, a last degree Leo Sun square Neptune, with a five- planet stellium in Virgo of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Pluto, Uranus is another Saturnine child. She has a tricky Yod onto a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries inconjunct Uranus sextile Neptune.

  Which brother she supports after the old man finally lets go is moot since she doesn’t sync well with either. With James there is a power-struggling composite Mars Pluto conjunction which is being seriously undermined in 2024/25. And with Lachlan there is an aggravated, unkind composite Mars Saturn and no indication of anything other than chills, dips and disruptions in the next few years between them.

  Oddly enough their relationship with their father is marginally easier than with each other, despite all of them having strongly Saturnine charts  = desperate to gain father’s approval. Rupert’s 4^th house focal point Uranus in Aries (which rules his 5^th house of children )squaring onto a Saturn opposition Pluto has surely done its thing spreading chaos and anarchy round the family.

  He’s not having a great year personally with a frustrating, trapped tr Pluto opposition his 8^th house Mars continuing on from 2022 – financial mainly. Plus tr Neptune square his Sagittarius Moon pulling the plug on his emotional life.

  Tensions simmer in all families – in these tribes they are blown up on a monumental scale.

Taiwan remains a danger zone despite China ending several days of military drills though some activity continues and Xi Jinping has called on the armed forces to “strengthen military training oriented towards actual combat”. This last round of sabre-rattling was provoked by the visit of USA House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to Taiwan last week. Beijing has not ruled out taking Taiwan by force, and is working to isolate it from the international community. Only 13 countries now recognise Taiwan as a country, after Honduras decided to switch ties to Beijing after financial and commercial inducements.

  There is no there is no clear chart for Taiwan though the China country 1 January 1912 chart did show up the three Taiwan Straits Crises with China in 1954/58/95, as well as the Second Sino-Japan War in 1927.

  The sensitive (war -like) points on the China chart appear to be its can-be-fanatical Uranus at 28 degrees Capricorn (opposition Neptune); Mars at 24 degrees in ultra determined Taurus (conjunct Moon, Saturn) and its Pluto at 27 Gemini – and its North Node at 28 degrees Aries.

  The First Taiwan Strait spat starting 3 September 1954 had tr Pluto square the Mars; tr Uranus opposing the Uranus with tr Neptune square.

The Second Taiwan Strait crisis, starting 23 August 1958 had tr Jupiter North Node conjunct the South Node with tr Saturn moving to oppose the Pluto. Tr Uranus was square the Saturn.

  The Third Taiwan Strait spat, 21 July 1995, had the tr Uranus Neptune in Capricorn rattling up its Uranus opposition Neptune, tr Saturn aiming to square the Pluto; and the North Node was on a Half Return.

At the moment tr Pluto is square the China 1912 Uranus; tr Neptune is moving to square the Pluto along with tr Saturn in 2024/25. And the Eclipses in 2024 will be back to their 1995 positions. Plus tr Uranus will conjunct the China Mars from late May 2024 on and off into early 2025 which will be a time when risky over reactions could occur.

  The China/Japan relationship chart is also under extreme pressure this year and on until late 2025 with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Sun, Mercury and then Venus; with 2024 being especially uncertain as tr Neptune squares the composite Saturn.

  The US/China relationship chart looks under dark and discouraging clouds with tr Pluto opposition the composite Saturn but that need not indicate overt action – it could be a dragging stalemate. Though Biden’s Term is moving into a riskier phase from now onwards – and both his Term chart and Xi Jinping’s Third Term do hint at a jangle late April into early May this year.

  As ever nothing conclusive, but there are Astro-similarities to previous flare-ups.

Mary Quant, the trailblazing British fashion designer who became the “godmother” of youthful fashion in the 1960s, has died at the age of 93. The mini-skirt became her emblem, along with hot pants and colourful leggings, all designed to give women a “feeling of freedom and liberation”. Bazaar her boutique on the King’s Road in Chelsea became the go-to shop for a new generation of young women with jobs and  disposable income to spend on clothes.  Her designs were popularised by Jean Shrimpton, Pattie Boyd, Cilla Black and Twiggy.

She was born 11 February 1930, no birth time, in London and had a maverick Aquarius Sun conjunct Venus also in rainbow-tinted Aquarius. Her Mars in determined and contrarian Aquarius was in a risk-taking sextile to Uranus and an exuberant trine to Jupiter. She had an Earth Grand Trine of Saturn in Capricorn trine Neptune trine North Node in Taurus which is good for business and practical skills. With her Saturn in tough-minded opposition to Pluto and squaring onto an inventive, trail blazing Uranus in Aries. That Cardinal T square would make her restless, ambitious and give her a surplus of initiative.

  Her global reputation is well noted in a well-aspected 22^nd Harmonic.

The historical solemnity and substance of the coronation fast approaching is likely to be subverted by public interest in who is glaring daggers at whom amongst the Royals. Harry on his own, out of the Royal procession and off the balcony,  relegated to the ‘cheap seats’, how will he react to the ceremonial which encapsulates all his grinding resentment over the accident of being born second. Especially since his grievance-ranting has distanced him even further from the centre of the action.

  The day itself on a Scorpio Lunar Eclipse might hint at rifts especially as the Sun is close to rebellious Uranus never mind opposition the Moon. And it follows on from the Solar Eclipse two weeks previously in a Saros cycle in which  passions usually run high.

All eyes at the moment are on Pluto sitting at zero degrees Aquarius. This is exactly square Charles’ 10^th house Taurus Moon as his career and life come under tremendous pressure and change. 

  And Pluto in Aquarius pops up notably in three Royal relationship charts.

  Harry’s relationship with his father has a zero Aquarius Midheaven so this will be a make-or-break phase of almost two years till early 2025 where they try valiantly to find a new direction. Though there will be jostling for control and the upper hand. Bitterness may win out with no real indications of a truce for some years ahead.

  Meghan’s relationship with the Princess of Wales has a composite Sun at zero degree Scorpio – so their already stressed connection will be peaking over the coronation and be going through the grinder over the next two years. Hilary Rose in the Times who has been doing an acidly funny series on Meghan since the podcasts write today: “And you thought Meghan was going to pitch up for a two-hour ceremony starring someone else? In a badly lit church, with no control over camera angles and no copyright? Where she wears a hat and Kate wears a tiara? Duh, sucker.”

  Their relationship is likely to blow sky high when tr Uranus squares the composite Mars, Moon and opposes the Venus Uranus from June 2024 onwards through 2025.

  The other is Prince William with Prince Andrew with Will harbouring a deep dislike of his errant uncle with a composite Saturn, Neptune Mars catching the tr Saturn hard aspects at the moment.  Their relationship chart has a composite Sun at zero Taurus. Like Kate and Meghan, the tensions between them will not lift for a couple of years ahead.

   All of the cross currents have been endlessly chewed over in the past but odd thoughts.  Poor Harry has tr Saturn opposition his 8^th house Mercury on the day so he won’t be laughing and dancing.  Both Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have a blocked tr Saturn opposition their respective Plutos which doesn’t suggest they regard Charles’ elevation as in their interests. And even more significantly, Andrew has tr Uranus square his natal Yod focal point Uranus jolting his life onto a totally new track. A destiny-changing moment in his life he’d prefer to have avoided.

  Sophie Wessex, now Duchess of Edinburgh, has a zero Aquarius Sun which will put her under considerable pressure over the next two years. Despite the belated gift of the Edinburgh title promised to Edward by Prince Philip, there is an uneasy mood between them and Charles. The Edward/Charles relationship has Neptune at zero Scorpio square Mars opposition Uranus so it was always a confusing and combustible connection which will muddle through this year and could blow a fuse in 2025/26. Sophie and Charles don’t look too sympatico either.  

  To paraphrase Jane Austen from Pride and prejudice – “For what do we live, but to make sport out of our Royals.”  A soap opera in ermine as a distraction from real life.

Add On: Meghan is not surprisingly showing signs of stress and discouragement with her SA Sun square her Neptune almost exactly to the minute of a degree over the coronation. With two difficult Pluto aspects to midpoints as well – overcoming a difficult situation through extraordinary effort and feeling truculent with it; over strained nerves.

  And there may well have been differences with Harry over the decision with tr Saturn opposition the composite Sun and square the Uranus in their relationship chart late March and early April. And that separating influence repeats on and off later this year in September and late December. Tr Pluto is trine the composite Venus this year and next which can bring renewed passion or possessiveness.

  Their relationship chart is ploughing through stormy seas with tr Pluto conjunct the Midheaven this year and next, which not only affects joint direction in life but can also damage reputation and status. Tr Pluto continues to stoke up family tensions (both Windsor and Markle, as well as domestic) as it opposes the composite Moon, till late this year.  Tr Neptune opposes the Mars from May 2024 into early 2025 which will undermine their confidence, either about external failures or about the relationship.

  In both cases Saturn in Pisces is moving through one of their financial house – Meghan 8^th and Harry 2^nd – so cash shortages may be biting. They live a very very expensive lifestyle with considerable staff overheads and expensive security running into several millions a year.

  Meghan is moving into her mid life crisis of Uranus opposition Uranus in 2024 when she’ll want to kick over the traces and suit herself. And with tr Saturn opposing her Sun/Moon midpoint in 2024 she will be pulling away from cosy togetherness. Though it may be 2026/27 before it comes to a final crunch point. It’s a very chained together relationship but is taking a terrible pounding through this phase.

The USA dollar is not the only one under pressure in the next three or four years. The Bank of Russia, 13 July 1990, is disappearing into a swamp over the coming eight months and after with the Solar Arc Neptune square the Mars and a trapped, scary, meltdown tr Pluto square the Mars exactly now and returning throughout 2024. With high tension extending through 2025.

  The Bank of China will start to feel the pain 2024, mounting to scary levels in 2025/26 with the worst being Solar Arc Neptune conjunct the Mars Jupiter in Capricorn badly. There is no currency chart for the Chinese yuan/remnimbi.

  The EU chart also looks to be heading towards a financial crunch, picking up in 2024 and worsening through to 2026 and beyond. Tr Pluto will hit the deflating, confidence-busting Jupiter/Neptune midpoint in the EU 2^nd house come 2024/25; with a considerable setback in 2026 from SA Sun square the Saturn and the devastating/confused tr Pluto conjunct the 2^nd house Neptune in 2026/27.  This is mirrored in the EURO I January 1999 chart. And the ECB 1994 chart which will be thrown into forced change in 2024/25, losing its direction and being trapped through till 2026.

See Post: Pluto into Aquarius – shock waves through central banks. 10th September 2021.  See also EU December 22 2022.

Also post 24 March 2023 European banks.  And 17 and 11 March 2023.

ADD ON: The Bank for International Settlements, 17 May 1930, an international financial institution owned by 60 central banks “fosters international monetary and financial cooperation and serves as a bank for central banks. Established in 1930 by an agreement between Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, the USA and Switzerland, it nowadays excludes the EU which forfeited the right to conduct monetary policy in order to implement the euro (wiki).

  The chart did show up the 2008 crash clearly with tr Pluto opposition the Solar Arc Uranus and square SA Saturn; the SA North Node conjunct Pluto; and tr Neptune heading to square the Taurus Sun. So it obviously works well.

This time round there are indications of discouraging events this year, starting with the SVP collapse and repeating later plus further indecision and uncertainty late this year; with more confusion as well as a major catastrophe mid to late 2024 from Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Pluto, running on into a high-tension, disrupted 2026. So much the same timeline as the other banks.  

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There’s a furore amongst the pin-stripe suits and the Westminster and Whitehall politicos as the CBI, (Confederation of British Industry), the UK’s main business lobby group, representing 190,000 businesses, is rocked by numerous allegations of sexual misconduct within its ranks. It has now sacked its boss Tony Danker for conduct that “fell short of that expected of the director-general”.  The Treasury has elected to “temporarily pause” all engagement with it which hints at the gravity of the scandal(s).

  What is intriguing is Tony Danker’s chart, born 30 December 1971 in Belfast, five days after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. He has an ultra-determined, never-say-die and controlling Mars in Aries opposition Pluto squaring onto a Capricorn Sun – fitting for a super-ambitious business maestro. His Pluto is also in a tough-minded Air Grand Trine to Saturn in a cool trine to Venus and North Node in Aquarius; formed into a Kite with his Saturn opposition Neptune, making Neptune the driving planet.

  He also has a restless Gemini Moon opposition Jupiter.  

  That is some chart – emotionally detached from the Air Grand Trine especially with Saturn Pluto there – ruthlessly driven to succeed and get his own way, super-controlling from Mars Pluto Capricorn Sun – ego-centric from a focal point Sun – with a dash of Neptunian slipperiness.

 The CBI was given a Royal Charter 30 July 1965, the day before J.K. Rowling was born, which gives it a Leo Sun and a lucky Jupiter in Gemini squaring Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn. At the moment the Solar Arc Mars is exactly conjunct the CBI South Node for a collision with its more primitive shadow; and tr Uranus is in a high-anxiety opposition to the CBI Neptune.

  Danker’s South Node is conjunct the CBI Sun so it would not bring out the best in him. And the relationship chart between them has a power-couple (over the top, rules-don’t-apply) Jupiter Pluto composite conjunction sextile a charming through slippery Venus Neptune inconjunct a yod focal point Saturn – arrogance plus inappropriate behaviour meets a hard task master in karma-magnet Saturn. The composite Uranus is catching the upending tr Pluto trine at the moment.

  Pluto in Capricorn  tying up a few loose ends before it finally exits for good late 2024.

 As technology hurtles on regardless even Elon Musk is raising red flags about artificial intelligence with the introduction of ChatGPT, which for the first time provides an AI user interface accessible to most. Bill Gates is less concerned but Musk draws the analogy with the discovery of nuclear physics which produced nuclear energy but also the nuclear bomb. He said “it has great promise, great capability but also, with that comes great danger.”

  ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot has gained massive exposure recently for its ability to generate high-quality humanlike responses to user prompts and has been banned in Italy.

   The initial release was on 30 November 2022 but the first stable release was on March 23^rd, the day Pluto moved into Aquarius which seems apposite. And Musk’s analogy may not be far out since the discovery of nuclear fission which led to the bomb and all else came about in 1938 as Pluto just stuck a toe into Leo, half a zodiac cycle away.

   The initial release November 2022 chart has Uranus conjunct the North Node square Saturn in Aquarius which highlights high-tech though with a hint of arguments between the old guard and the new. There is also a visionary though not altogether reliable Jupiter Neptune conjunction in Pisces squaring an argumentative Mercury opposition Mars.

  The stable release March 23 2023 chart in addition to Pluto at zero Aquarius has Jupiter conjunct Chiron hinting at the potential for greater understanding, wisdom, awareness and healing. The medical field already use AI to further research.

  Like most of the just-about-coping generation who are still amazed at GPS in cars, plant identifying apps on iphones, and even creepier, barcodes on Sky TV screens which connect to Iphone cameras to register, I have not the foggiest idea what the fuss is about or the dangers are likely to be. Dinosaurs led by cyborgs. But it does feel in tune with Pluto in Aquarius – tremendous power merged with scientific advance. For good or for ill.

ADD ON: James Lovelock, the scientist, environmentalist and futurist, who died last year on his 103 birthday, postulated the notion of cyborgs as self-sufficient, self-aware descendants of today’s robots and artificial intelligence systems. He called the coming era of their dominance the Novacene (the “new new”) age where they would reign supreme perhaps for a billion years. Homo sapiens could vanish from Earth entirely or become the underdogs. He did not regard this as a grim prophecy. “We’re engaged in one of the noblest things we could do: We are now preparing to hand the gift of knowing on to new forms of intelligent beings.”

  He was born 26 July 1919 2pm Letchworth, England and was a visionary Sun Neptune in Leo with his Sun inconjunct Uranus. In turn his Uranus was in an opposition to Saturn Mercury in Leo in his 10^th house of career. He would be self-willed, a good organizer but fairly dictatorial. He also had a do-or-die Mars Pluto conjunction in Cancer allowing him to forge ahead with seemingly ludicrous theories against hostile opposition.

  His post-mortem influences point to tr Pluto in Aquarius opposing his Sun in 2024/25; and then moving to oppose his Neptune – he may be in the spotlight but – stretching a point – it may be a while before AI manages to evolve an entity of such capabilities as he envisaged.

 His global influencer 22^nd harmonic was exceptionally powerful; as was his leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17th and his break through-genius/trailblazer 13H. 

Sarah Bernhardt, nicknamed “La Divine”, is a name that has gone into theatrical legend , a Hollywood-style celebrity before Hollywood even existed, the unmatchable actress who remains forever at the top despite the 100 years that have passed since her death. A Paris exhibition this year will celebrate her talents and extraordinary life as the daughter of a courtesan, who once contemplated becoming a nun but followed instead in her mother’s footstep.

  There is some doubt as to her birthdate. ADB has 23 October 1844 8 pm while Astrotheme (also on the basis of a birth certificate) says 22 October at 2am. Both are below and you can take your pick.

 The young Sarah appeared in the Paris police register (Vice squad). Their Book of Courtesans was a detailed record of high-class sex workers, often actors and dancers, who were the mistresses of princes, aristocrats and the wealthy. Then in her teens she was noted as being popular with “old men and especially members of parliament”.

  After a slow start in acting she eventually performed her most celebrated roles at the prestigious Comedie Francaise, then set up her own company and toured the UK and USA.

Mark Twain wrote: “There are five kinds of actresses: bad actresses, fair actresses, good actresses, great actresses … and then there is Sarah Bernhardt.” DH Lawrence saw her in La Dame Aux Camelias and wrote: “Sarah was wonderful and terrible … she is not pretty, her voice is not sweet, but there is the incarnation of wild emotion that we share with all living things.”

  ‘She was hot-headed, rebellious and frequently mired in scandal. Her stage style was often melodramatic and self-promoting.’ She became an influencer of fashion, an artist and a sculptor, a writer and an activist. During WW1 she entertained troops at Verdun and Argonne despite having had a leg amputated after an injury led to gangrene. She died in 1923 of kidney disease.

 She had a Sun opposition Pluto which makes sense of an intense, dramatic life – with that opposition squaring onto Saturn in Aquarius for a personality, hardened by tough experiences in childhood with no father and abandoned by mother for a year. She certainly had endurance and stamina. The 22^nd October birth date gave her a late Libra Sun opposition an 8^th house Pluto which makes sense of the mark she made on the culture; with a well-organised Saturn in her 5^th house of entertainment, giving her the impetus to run her own business. Her buoyant Uranus Jupiter conjunction opposition Mars would give her a risk-taking, wild streak.

  But you could equally well make a case for the 23^rd birth date with a Scorpio Sun in her performing 5th house; and a 10^th house Aries Moon conjunct Uranus opposition Mars – with an 8^th house Saturn making intimate relationships tricky.

  The 23 October has a marginally more descriptive 22^nd harmonic for an undoubted global super-star.

  Whichever is the right date, that Sun Pluto Saturn T square alongside an exuberant and reckless Mars Jupiter opposition Uranus certainly made for a high-octane personality.

Patricia Highsmith was not in the top rank of writers but two of her psychological thriller novels left their mark on 20^th Century culture when they were turned into memorable films – Minghella’s The Talented Mr Ripley and Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train. A new biopic takes a glance at her racy life with prolific lesbian liaisons but skips over her misanthropy, racism and alcoholism. She frequently wielded a switchblade at one lover, had gin and orange for breakfast, and was massively prejudiced against  “Jews, Arabs and Blacks”. The Price of Salt, the only lesbian novel she wrote, was the only one without a murder and was published anonymously out of deference to her mother, only being claimed forty years later.

  She was born 19 January 1921 3.30am Fort Worth, Texas into an artistic family with her parents divorcing just before she was born and suggestions that her mother may have wished to abort her.  Not surprisingly she had a love-hate relationship with her rejecting and indifferent mother which was never resolved.

  Her chart is complicated with an Earth Grand Trine of a Capricorn Sun (conjunct Mercury in Aquarius) trine a Taurus Moon trine Saturn (Jupiter) in Virgo in her 10^th house, which would give her a tendency to physical sexual encounters. She also had a creative Water Grand Trine of a volatile Uranus Mars in Pisces trine an 8^th house Pluto trine a Scorpio North Node – lost in her own bubble of reality, she’d be driven by intense compulsions and feel constantly trapped. She also had her Mars conjunct Venus in Pisces trine Pluto which would contribute to her promiscuous tendencies.

  Her Neptune in the publishing 9^th house was unaspected giving her a tendency to be reclusive and to have unattainable dreams.

   Her creative writer’s 21^st harmonic was reasonably aspected, as was her creative 5^th.  Her other creative harmonic, the 7^th, was heavily aspected with an afflicted Mars, hinting at the violence and warped morality of her novels. Seven at the negative end can be cold, self-centred, attracted to alcohol/ drugs and occultism.

  She also interestingly had a notable 13^th harmonic which can indicate a trailblazing personality. But one astrologer pointed out it was strong in Peter Sellers and he associated it with Sellers not knowing who he was.  So identity problems may come with it.   Despite the biopic title, she was not an easy women to warm to let alone admire.