Astrology of Today’s News

The Nixonisation of the present US Administration continues with the attempted removal of Geoffrey Berman, the Manhattan US attorney, who has overseen key investigations of Trump allies including Michael Cohen and Rudi Giuliani. William Barr, the attorney general announced the resignation but Berman kicked back saying “I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning. I will step down when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate.”

Congressional Democrats have already accused Barr of politicizing the Justice Department and acting more like Trump’s personal attorney than the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.  Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said: “This late Friday night dismissal reeks of potential corruption of the legal process.”

Barr’s astrology indicates that his near future, far from being a triumph, is one long banana skin. He has tr Neptune conjunct his Jupiter/Node midpoint exactly now which suggests ‘false happiness’ and over-confidence which leads to disappointment and failure. That is echoed on his Swearing-In chart from February 14 2019 which has Jupiter at the same degree. Where his downhill slide picks up speed will be from late this August to late November; and even more so from early October to late January 2021 with tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Saturn midpoint, which will bring a long series of disasters and calamities. Late October to mid-November across the election he has tr Uranus square his Sun/Neptune described by Ebertin as ‘sudden emotional crisis, mourning, weakness.”

There are similar aspects in his relationship chart with Trump – not happy campers together, for sure and worse into 2021. Both Barr and the Trump relationship chart are being triggered by the Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse now and Solar Eclipse late year.

Geoffrey Berman, 12 September 1959, a Sun Mercury in Virgo, is being rattled by this month’s Solar Eclipse and will have a panicky dip in September and again early in 2021, but on the whole looks fairly upbeat and confident late August to late November and through 2021/22.

Judicial overreach may boomerang back uncomfortably.

Actor Ian Holm, best known to younger fans as Bilbo Baggins in Lord of the Rings, has died aged 88 of a Parkinsons-related illness. In fact he had an illustrious career on stage and screen over decades with multiple awards for Chariots of Fire, Alien, King Lear on stage and others. Described by Peter Bradshaw as “ a virtuoso actor of steel, sinew – and charm. He was a character actor with star quality.”

He was born 12 September 1931 2am Ilford, England with a psychiatrist father, who pioneered electric shock therapy; and he started initially, aged 18, studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and after National Service joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was married four times, divorced three, with five children from various mothers.

He had a communicative and restless third house New Moon in Virgo in a charming conjunction with Venus. His Mercury Neptune were also in Virgo. Dominating his chart was an extremely restless Cardinal Grand Square giving him initiative aplenty and the ability to pick up and start again, well-designed for a career of constantly changing projects. The signature tough-minded Saturn in Capricorn opposition Pluto of the Depression in his case squared onto a heated 4^th house Mars in Libra opposition a 10^th house Uranus in Aries. An unpredictable lifestyle would suit him and he’d rebel against restrictions or compromise, both domestic and career.

He suffered from stage fright after 1976 when tr Saturn was moving through his 1^st house pushing him into a lower-profile phase; with a panicky tr Neptune conjunct his Solar Arc Mars; tr Uranus conjunct his Solar Arc Sun, Moon, Venus – and I suspect more significantly his Solar Arc Moon Neptune square his 12^th house Pluto. He returned with Lear in the late 1980s to a resounding success.

His chart wasn’t quite what I’d expected since he always looked restrained and slightly demure.  His personal life clearly didn’t run too smoothly which would be partly down to an argumentative Mars in the 4^th, plus Uranus plus Pluto giving him a degree of obstinacy and anger. And the male-of-the- species Virgo can be a player, more so than the female.

Harry Tyson Moore has been called the first martyr of the civil rights movement that expanded in the 1960s. He and his wife were victims of a home bombing on Christmas Day in Florida 1951, which 56 years later was deemed likely to have been the work of four Klu Klux Klan members, all long dead by then.

Moore, November 18 1905, was a teacher and pioneer leader of the civil rights movement, founder of the first branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Brevard County, Florida, and president of the state chapter of the NAACP. He led the Progressive Voters League, achieving an increase in the registration of black voters in Florida to 31 percent of those eligible to vote, markedly higher than in any other Southern state.

He had his Scorpio Sun on the focal point of a Fixed T Square to Saturn in Aquarius opposition a ‘leadership’ Leo North Node so he would stand out from the crowd and not give way easily; with his Venus also in Scorpio in a passionate square to Mars in Aquarius. His outspoken Mercury in Sagittarius was in a vehement opposition Pluto in Gemini. And he had the signature Neptune in Cancer opposition Uranus of his generation.

When he died in an ambulance, being driven thirty miles to the nearest black hospital, his Solar Arc Neptune was exactly conjunct his Leo North Node, undermining his Fixed T Square.

His wife, Harriette Moore, 19 June 1902, a hyper-active Sun in Gemini with Pluto and Mars also in Gemini with a reforming, rebellious Uranus (Moon) across the zodiac in Sagittarius. Her Saturn in Capricorn was exactly conjunct the Pluto on the USA 1776 chart for an unyielding connection, When she died, her Solar Arc Mars was exactly opposition her Saturn; and her Solar Arc Saturn was square her Mars/Pluto midpoint which Ebertin describes as “brutality, cruelty, violence.”

In 1951 when the bombing occurred, the 1776 USA chart was at that point on a Saturn Return; with a Saturn Mars (Neptune) in Libra conjunction square Uranus in Cancer.

The main NAACP organisation came together on 12 February 1909 to meet the challenges faced with African-Americans, especially disenfranchisement, and to find solutions. Bizarrely white Democrats who dominated the southern legislatures were a major headache, creating barriers to voter registration.

The NAACP chart has an Aquarius Sun which fits well with Harry T Moore’s chart; with two central oppositions indicating the divisive struggle ahead  – Neptune opposition Uranus and Mars in Sagittarius opposition Pluto North Node in Gemini. That latter was keyed up in the 1960s during the Civil Rights struggle with the tr Uranus Pluto in Virgo in square. It’ll be facing a dip in 2021/22 with tr Neptune square the Mars and Pluto, though should get an uplift in 2023/34 with tr Uranus square the Sun. Pendulum swings – just as you think progress is being made, it takes a step backwards before moving forwards again.

An unholy scandal is threatening to rock the monarchy in Spain involving former King Juan Carlos over Swiss bank accounts, secret foundations and untaxed multimillion-euro payments, and a hell-hath-no-fury rift with an ex-lover of his. The end result may force him to face trial or leave the country. Swiss prosecutors are investigating the source of a €65 million payment he made to his former mistress, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. She has alleged on tape various backhand deals involving eye-watering sums of money he supposedly made via Middle Eastern rulers. As a result his son, King Felipe VI, disinherited himself to attempt to put distance between the throne and questionable money.

Juan Carlos started his reign in 1975 on a modernising high but latterly tarnished his reputation with dubious associations. His downfall finally came on Botswana elephant hunt with this mistress in 2012, when he fell and had to be flown home for an emergency hip-replacement. The Spanish press went to town, opening the floodgates on his affairs. He was heavily criticised for his excess in a time of economic crisis which led two years later to his abdication. What didn’t help was his son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarín being simultaneously under investigation for corruption, which ultimately led to a six year prison sentence.

Juan Carlos, born 5 January 1938 1.15 pm Rome, Italy, spent his early years in exile with the dictator Franco in power in Spain, returning in 1975 to be given back the throne. He’s a super-confident Jupiter on his Midheaven opposition Pluto; with his Jupiter square a 12^th house Uranus – a risk-taker, uninclined to follow ordinary morals’ rules and regulations. He has Sun Venus in socially ambitious Capricorn trine Uranus and sextile Mars – innovative, uncompromising, dislikes interference. A North Node in his 7^th house of close relationships hints that committed partnerships were not his strong point – as his poor, beleaguered wife Queen Sofia found out.

This particular ex-mistress, who is causing waves, twice married Corinna zu S-W, 28 January 1964, is a feisty Sun Mars in Aquarius which is conjunct Juan Carlos’s Jupiter in his 10^th so she’d be attracted to his status, but her Sun Mars also square his Uranus so there would be high-tension outbursts. Her Venus in Pisces is conjunct his Mars for a touch of passion; with her Moon conjunct his Pluto for possessiveness. Her Jupiter in Aries squared his Sun for mutual back-scratching; but her Saturn on his Moon would be a damper.

What’s on the money is their relationship chart which has a deeply-hostile composite Mars opposition Pluto. Often duos which have this aspect can amble along contentedly for a while but when they part company it gets extremely nasty so vengeance and payback are par for the course.

King Felipe’s reign, 19 June 2014, was always going to be a fraught series of rolling crisis, kicking off with Uranus opposition Mars square Pluto; though Uranus also squares Jupiter for a hint of luck. It’ll run into a downbeat, potentially unpopular blip in mid to late 2021 with Solar Arc Saturn opposition the Venus.

His own chart, 30 January 1968 12.45pm Madrid, indicates a shock and collision of sorts later this year with Solar Arc Mars square the Sun, perhaps as the Royal scandal moves on apace. What should cause him some concern is that he shares a late degree Capricorn Midheaven with his father which tr Pluto will move to conjunct – by 2022 in his father’s case and 2023 in his (timing dependent on birth times being exactly accurate). Tr Pluto on the Midheaven often accompanies a fall from grace, loss of reputation and a career-dead-halt with a need for a rethink on the far side. In Juan Carlos’ case it may mean he faces the consequences of his past actions and ends up in the sin bin in one way or another. In Felipe’s case it could even mean a tussle with Republicans and it’s not definite that he’d win.

Mary Lee Trump, Donald’s niece and daughter of his late brother Fred Jr who died of alcoholism, has written an excoriating family memoir – Too Much And Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man – due to hit the bookshelves late July.

She will reportedly reveal she supplied the NY Times with confidential documents to back up their exclusive investigation into Trump’s personal finances, including allegations of “fraudulent” tax schemes. Though the main thrust appears to be about Trump’s behaviour in relation to his brother and the way he “dismissed and derided” his father when he developed Alzheimer’s. After Fred Senior’s death, she and her brother sued to dispute the money left to them by his estate. They said the 1991 will was “procured by fraud and undue influence” on the part of Donald Trump and his siblings, as the family patriarch suffered dementia. In retaliation the Trump company cancelled their medical insurance, vital for her brother’s daughter who suffers from cerebral palsy. It was eventually settled and details were not released.

She was born 3 May 1965 (I think, courtesy of Seth B. Leonard @sethbleonard) and is a clinical psychologist by training and a life coach. If accurate, she’s a stalwart Sun Venus in Taurus in an idealistic opposition to Neptune; with a volatile collection of Mars, Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn square North Node and Moon in Gemini with Jupiter also in Gemini.

Her Saturn opposition Pluto, Uranus, Mars square onto Trump’s erratic 10^th house Uranus, so her anger and resentments from the past will be directed at destabilising his career. Plus her Sun squares his Pluto for a power-struggling interface. Their relationship chart has a composite Sun square a hostile Mars Pluto; with a can-be-fanatical Uranus square Neptune which is being rattled in the first half of this July and the first half of August and again mid-November to December.

Trump’s sister former Judge Maryanne Barry, 5 April 1937, will evidently be dragged into the furore. She’s a Sun Aries with a pushily-confident, above-normal-rules Pluto opposition Jupiter. She’s looking rattled at the minute with tr Uranus conjunct her Uranus; with her mood from mid August through the first half of November being less than delighted with tr Saturn squelching her confidence as it opposes her Pluto and hits her Jupiter/Pluto midpoint. Her relationship with Mary Lee is also less than delirious with serious aggravations from mid August onwards, increasing chill and building worries in 2021. So it’s possible, just possible, the fall out from the book will rumble on.

If it gains traction it could be more damaging even than the John Bolton book which if past experiences are anything to go by will be written off by Trump’s fan base as a disgruntled ex-employee’s gripes. Though Bolton isn’t to be underestimated being a Sun Scorpio with his Scorpio Mercury square Pluto, so once he gets his teeth sunk in he won’t let go easy. And he has a successful and pushy tr Pluto square his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint through July/August and again late November into December. Oddly enough Mary Lee Trump has the same timings from her Jupiter/Pluto midpoint and she’s on the whole chipper this year; though 2021/22 isn’t too progressive for her.

PS If other birth dates appear do let me know.

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Vera Lynn has died aged 103. Known as the ‘forces sweetheart’ she was one of the mainstays of British morale at home and amongst troops abroad during World War 11. Her ‘We’ll Meet Again’ issued in 1939 became a hit, as did ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ and ‘There’ll always be an England.’ She travelled extensively at some risk to herself to sing in India, Burma and Egypt during fighting to entertain soldiers. After the war she continued to be a great success in the USA as well as UK. In recent years she’s also issued chart topping albums.

Born 20 March 1917, no birth time sadly, she started singing in working men’s clubs aged 7, and by aged 22 had sold a million records and was supporting her parents. She had four planets plus Chiron all conjunct in musical Pisces – Sun, Mars, Mercury and Venus –  giving her a vibrant and emotional approach with healing power. Those all trine Saturn in Cancer giving her stability and common sense; with her Sun Mars Chiron square Pluto and trine Neptune adding determination, guts and another layer of musical ability. Her zany Aquarius Moon was probably conjunct Uranus; and she had a confident (and money-attracting) Jupiter in Taurus in a confident sextile to Pluto.

Her Jupiter fell in the UK 8^th house, which allowed her to boost morale at a deep level; with her Moon Uranus in the UK ‘entertainment’ 5^th. Her Neptune was conjunct the UK 10^th house Jupiter, turning her into a vision of hope. Her Pluto was conjunct and her Jupiter sextile the UK MC. What’s interesting is that her Saturn was conjunct the UK 10^th house Moon. Normally Saturn conjunct Moon is a downer, but she fitted the war time mood perfectly.

Her relationship chart with the UK had an emphasised composite Mercury opposition Saturn square Pluto (Moon) – Saturn Pluto is the signature for war. There’s also a composite Sun trine Jupiter, sextile Mars – so she could lift spirits and inject courage through her songs (Venus Node conjunct).

An important part of history for the UK.

Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United footballer, fought valiantly for poor kids needing free school meals over the holidays and forced Boris Johnson into a sharp U-turn. He’s been praised for refusing to give in and making his arguments stick.

He was born 31 October 1997 in Manchester with a single-parent mother and several siblings and had a childhood where food was not in plentiful supply. He’s a New Moon in Scorpio conjunct Chiron with Mercury also in forceful Scorpio; plus a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries and a passionately enthusiastic Mars Venus in sporting Sagittarius.

Tr Uranus is opposing his Sun and Chiron (maybe Moon) through this year so turning his life upside down; though there will be pressures with his Solar Arc Saturn opposition his Sun.

An astro-parallel is Colin Kaepernick, who started the US football reaction against police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016. It caused outrage and cost him his career in the three seasons following. He subsequently sued NFL. He was born 3 November 1987 and has his Sun and Pluto conjunct in Scorpio, which like Rashford, is being upended by tr Uranus in opposition now and for the next year. So quite a turnaround as the Black Lives Matter movement gains mainstream support and he receives belated praise. Kaepernick also has his Venus in Scorpio; and Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius trine Jupiter in Aries.

Raheem Sterling, another Manchester United, has also been vocal in the sporting response to BLM, with players kneeling before the opening match of the Premier League’s return. Born 8 December 1994 in Jamaica, he’s a Sun Mercury in Sagittarius with a stupendously confident, influential and super-determined Jupiter Pluto in Scorpio square Mars in Leo; with Venus also in Scorpio. A force of nature.

Scorpio rules when it comes to making protests that matter.

Chinese and Indian soldiers were literally at each other’s throats in a confrontation in a largely uninhabited, disputed Himalayan border area between Tibet and Ladakh. Both have accused the other of provoking fighting in which at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed after a brawl with sticks, bats, rocks and bamboo sticks studded with nails. No shots were fired. The injured were exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high-altitude terrain. The risk is that a minor spat will escalate to a major confrontation between two nuclear nations.

It is the first deadly clash between the two sides in the disputed Kashmir region since the 1962 Sino-India month-long war broke out, spurred to some extent by tensions building after the 1959 Chinese invasion of Tibet which resulted in the Dalai Lama fleeing to India.

The 1962 war occurred when the aggravated, military Mars in Leo opposition Saturn in Aquarius fell close to the Leo North Node squaring onto Neptune in Scorpio; with an opportunistic and pushily-confident Jupiter opposition Uranus Pluto also in place.

The previous Eclipses were pointers, especially the August 1962 Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius which was almost exactly opposition the India Leo Sun; and set for Delhi had Mars on the Ascendant and Jupiter on the Midheaven with Pluto Mercury Uranus conjunct the IC.

This time round the June Cancer Solar Eclipse (this Sunday) is conjunct the India Mars which was always going to set off a volcanic argument (see post 19^th May 2020). And the early June 2020 Lunar Eclipse set for Delhi has Mars conjunct the Descendant and the North Node New Moon on the Midheaven, so it does make India an inflammatory zone.. But that could also be coronavirus/economic-related with this being an unwanted distraction on the side. There aren’t the same aggravations showing on the India/China 1912 relationship chart as there were in 1962 when tr Pluto was square the composite Mars – which is more typical of brutality and a military conflict.  Although there are hints this year of a diplomatic chill and some tensions flaring late year there is nothing quite as stark.

The India 1947 chart points to a struggle with disturbingly high CV-19 rates and deaths and the consequent economic hit with the Solar Arc Moon conjunct Neptune hinting at a panicky and undermined populace. The December Sagittarius Eclipse will fall on the cusp of the India 8^th house opposition the Uranus – so there may be financial upsets.

The China 1912 chart is, if anything, in an even more turbulent state with a second Beijing CV-19 wave being described as “serious”. The central disaster-prone China Uranus opposition Neptune is being triggered this year by a jolting Solar Arc Sun square the Uranus; as well as a long run of punishing Pluto hard aspects. Tr Pluto is opposition the China Neptune bringing confusion and devastation, repeating from earlier this year in late August to late November, and continuing on through catastrophic hard aspects to the midpoint in 2021 till it hits the total-upheaval conjunction to the Uranus in 2022/23. I would not be surprised if there was an earthquake or some other natural calamity along the way as well as the pandemic.

The December Sagittarius Eclipse will oppose the China Pluto for a change-or-decay fork in the road and conjunct the China Mercury for arguments and a forced rethink of plans. It’s likely to bring outbursts and more dogmatism from the Chinese government.

Donald Trump’s Solar Return for this birthday (four days ago) for the year ahead is not remotely as calamitous as his Solar Return from June 2019 which had Saturn Pluto in the 10^th opposition Mars Mercury in the 4^th as the driving planets from a delusional-bubble Water Grand Trine of Neptune trine Mars trine Moon. Plus more head-in the-clouds, inability-to-grasp-reality from Sun opposition Jupiter square Neptune. Horrific and completely boxed in though he didn’t notice most of it.

This coming year’s Return interestingly has Uranus in the 10^th suggesting a radical change of career or life’s direction which he also had in his June 2016 Return over his step up into the White House. The tr Uranus change-in-direction in his Solar Return is only one degree from the square to his control-freaky natal 12^th house Pluto which it will pick up exactly from early this July on and off till February 2022, which usually indicates turbulence and a major upheaval.

That apart his 2020 Solar Return is fairly limp with a Sun square an indecisive and not-succeeding Mars Neptune Moon in Pisces in the 9^th house ruling legal affairs and foreign countries. There’s also Mercury in the secret 12^th house trine Mars Neptune so much going on behind the scenes – elusive and evasive and muddle headed.

Tr Neptune is also, of course, within minutes of a degree to the square to his Moon and then Sun which it will aspect exactly on the degree from late March 2021 on and off till late 2022 – so an undermining, confusing time for him.

The one positive is the super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Capricorn which sits on the Descendant which is sextile the Mars Neptune Moon so will inject a touch of substance into otherwise lacklustre plans. Though Jupiter Pluto is also in opposition to – and the Ascendant conjunct – Procyon, the Fixed star which indicates rises and falls as the wheel of fate spins. That point around 25 Cancer is also key in his chart having his natal Venus Saturn in Cancer conjunct, so it will focus a spotlight on his emotional wounding.

The midpoints on his 2020 Solar Return could suggest relationship splits with Uranus conjunct the Sun/Moon midpoint, as well as arguments and a self-willed/argumentative approach. Plus ca change. And with the Saturn/Uranus midpoint conjunct Mars and Neptune – forced release from strains, accident-prone, major battle and weakening resistance.