Astrology of Today’s News

 ‘Don’t complain, don’t explain’ does not apparently appeal to the Beckham family as a rule to live by. Yet more toe-curling brickbats have emerged with an Instagram (where else??) post by son Brooklyn slinging mud in various directions mainly at mother Victoria.

 It would be tasteful to throw a veil over the gripes and swipes except that family dramas are always a draw and there will be resonances for many who have trodden the path of tricky mother/daughter-in-law spats.

 There are details and charts in past posts (see in search) but on reviewing them afresh one intriguing common thread throughout several is the occurrence of yods with an apex Pluto.

  Much of the blame has been aimed at the Victoria-Nicola mismatch and it is true that both are forces to be reckoned with. Victoria, 17 April 1974, has a cool Air Grand Trine of a hard-edged Mars Saturn in Gemini trine an Aquarius Moon trine Uranus, with Uranus opposition her Aries Sun – emotionally detached, unpredictable, uncompromising and fairly ego-centric with a driving planet Sun.

 While Nicola, 9 January 1995, has a highly-strung, can-be-fanatical Sun, Uranus, Neptune in Capricorn with a power-house and extraordinarily difficult, tough-minded and controlling T square of Mars opposition Saturn square Pluto, Venus, Jupiter.

 Victoria’s Sun sextile Mars Saturn are inconjunct Nicola’s coercive Pluto forming a yod. So a relationship that will alter both of them for good and ill. Bulldozer meets brick wall.

  The relationship charts between Brooklyn, 4 March 1999 7.48pm London, and both parents also have a Pluto apex yod – power and control are built into their bond. Though in truth Brooklyn’s relationship to his father looks in many ways more stressed than with his mother. His father’s Taurus Sun sits in Brooklyn’s 8^th and opposes Brooklyn’s Mars in Scorpio, with David’s Mars conjunct Brooklyn’s Pisces Sun so a scratchy, fractious chemistry on both sides – competitive and impatient. David’s evasive Neptune is conjunct Brooklyn’s 3^rd house overly-forceful-in-communication Pluto so that would not help to clear up muddles.

 Both parents’ Pluto sits on Brooklyn’s Ascendant so he would feel they were controlling his image.

  An over loaded Pluto trekking through all these relationships will make for a trapped atmosphere on all fronts with too much control and too little respect for individuality.

 Not that the Brooklyn/Nicola relationship chart looks like a bundle of laughs either – with a suppressive composite Mars opposition Saturn in a Half Grand Sextile to Pluto and to a Uranus Jupiter Venus conjunction. Since it is all earlyish degrees it will be under pressure from mid 2026 through for the next two or three years.

 Their wedding chart, 9 April 2022 6pm Palm Beach, repeats the same pattern as their relationship – which oddly is usually the case as if happy couple unknowingly pick a date that matches their chemistry. In this case with a bad-tempered Mars Saturn conjunction and Pluto opposition a Cancer Moon square Sun, hinting at family tensions.

 I would worry marginally about Brooklyn since he seems caught between a rock and a hard place. He does have tr Saturn moving to oppose his Sun/Moon midpoint at 28 degrees Virgo within a few days. This has several possible meanings. One is coolness or separation in a close relationship. Or a shift in the way parents’ are seen with critical Saturn shining a light on flaws. In politician’s chart it can also indicate a dampening of popularity or lowered public respect.

   Though he does have his Progressed Moon just into his 1^st house starting a new cycle in his life which will pull him away from the past.

ADD ON: Tr Pluto is also conjunct his 4^th house Neptune which will be significant. Sakoian & Acker are spot on for Neptune here: – confused family relations and chaotic domestic environment. Family secrets and mysteries regarding the home life are common. Neurotic problems arising  out of difficulties with parents. Added to which Brooklyn has his Neptune square Saturn in Taurus in his 7^th magnifying an overly sensitive, can-be-paranoid tendency.  

  The family and personal identity are deemed inseparable so separating out as an individual means abandoning the family.   

  Spare thought – what on earth was Victoria Beckham thinking selecting that silver nightie as an appropriate wedding outfit? Not a good look for mother of the groom.

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  Midpoints add a layer of understanding to the complexities of the birth chart and come in handy when birth times are suspect and houses difficult to establish with accuracy. Transits to midpoints fill in gaps when standard transits lack vital information.

 In Donald Trump’s case where the natal chart is backed by his birth certificate, the midpoints still shine a spotlight, magnifying certain elements of his temperament and character.

 His 12^th house Pluto is an indicator of an inner raging storm which threatens his self-control at times. It can be perceptive as well, resourceful and able to bounce back from crisis. But in unreconstructed form, it has all the worst sides of Pluto – contemptuous, vindictive, vengeful.

  His angry, destructive and self-destructive Mars/Saturn midpoint is conjunct his Pluto ramping up his fury and ruthless self-will. His Pluto is also conjunct his Venus/Mars midpoint for sensuality, ‘a brutal and coarse expression of feeling’, physical passions in overdrive.

Other planets in his chart which are highlighted by midpoints are:

His Saturn and Venus in Cancer which are conjunct his Sun/Mars midpoint, his Mars/Uranus midpoint and his Mars/North Node midpoint. These make him impulsive, impatient, short-fused, with an inclination towards military activities. Tending towards violent destruction and separation. Disadvantages in team work or in association with others.

  The picture here is of a man who is not only the clown and conman his CV suggests. But is aggressive and capable of scorched earth policies for no reason other than to vent his spleen and express the chaos inside himself he cannot contain. Which is all too visible at the moment but the midpoints do give a deeper dimension to what may not be so obvious on the surface in his chart.

The Venus connection to the above Mars midpoints give him an interest in producing children and having passionate liaisons which are more exciting than heart-felt.

 He does of course have positive midpoints allowing him to turn on the charm (Mercury conjunct Sun/Venus), exude confidence (Ascendant conjunct Mercury/Jupiter and Sun square Mars/Jupiter).

 His Leo Ascendant conjunct Regulus will have given him cover, projecting a glowing successful image. But the midpoints do point to a meaner, unhinged inner drive.

 Trump is only a handy example but worth looking at a few charts to track where midpoints throw light and shade on the chart, outlining a spider’s web of connections.

ADD ON:

  Midpoints are also handy for event or Inauguration charts in the early years when nothing much shifts by Solar Arc with only the Progressed Moon making occasional aspects.

  The 2025 Inauguration does have tr Saturn conjunct the Neptune exactly now till January 26 which is confused, neurotic and putting a damper on friendly relationships. Tr Saturn is also conjunct the Uranus/Pluto midpoint at the same time which Ebertin describes as – self-will, stubborn, egotism, hatred, separation, exposed to great pressure from others. Tr Saturn is also conjunct the Sun/Uranus midpoint -rebelling against limitations on freedom, separation, sudden losses.  So it expands understanding of what is going on.

  Looking slightly ahead there will be a tricky patch mid March to early April on the USA midpoints with tr Uranus square the Sun/Saturn midpoint for rising tensions, a crisis, nervy, feeling trapped – not explosive or accident prone but nerve stretched and snappy. That is followed through April by tr Uranus square the Neptune/North Node midpoint = self-willed, undermining of relationships.

  Immediately after on the Inauguration midpoints tr Uranus is square the Sun/Neptune midpoint from early to late April = nervy, emotional upsets, illness, crisis.  Those are only passing moments but they will add a dimension of understanding to ongoing events.

 Life is constantly churning and with so many midpoints there will always be ups and downs running concurrently. But they can be on occasion be more than helpful.

India and Pakistan share the same start date after the bloody partition in the late 1940s though with different times for their state’s foundation.

 But both have Mars at zero degrees Cancer which will be rattled by tr Saturn and Neptune late this month to the end of February, which suggests a setback, flare up and high anxiety. In India’s case with a 2^nd house Mars there may be financial implications  with confusion about which is the best direction to take and what friends are trustworthy with Saturn Neptune moving through their 11^th house.

 For Pakistan it may be even more significant with their Mars falling close to their late Gemini Midheaven and tr Saturn already closing in on the square to their MC and opposition their Ascendant; followed by tr Neptune in their 7^th square the Mars till late February. Relations with neighbours may be confused and tense; with certain of their ambitions being thwarted. The massive Karachi shopping centre fire today with many dead may be a forerunner to what follows.

   Late 2025 was nerve stretched for both with the Solar Arc Neptune opposition the Uranus – again likely to be financial for India and pointing to internal or domestic confusion in Pakistan.

 India has tr Uranus moving across the zero degrees Gemini Ascendant from late April onwards suggesting they will take an independent line thereafter and will suit themselves no matter anyone else’s reaction.  
  Both countries will get a surge of confidence through mid 2026 from SA Jupiter opposition their Mercury.

 Narenda Modi, India PM started his 3^rd term on 9 June 2024 7.30pm which has the same ruthless streak with a Mars square Pluto echoing his natal chart and his first term. There will be lucky breaks through this year from late June onwards. Though, start time being accurate, he will run into disappointments in 2027 with tr Neptune opposition the Midheaven.

 Relations with Russia look most stressed ahead.

A group of Buddhist monks are over halfway along a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington DC, seeking to raise awareness of “peace, loving kindness and compassion”.  There are 18 monks, two of whom are following a Buddhist practice of never lying down during the three-month journey. One was injured in a car accident, had a leg amputated and is continuing by wheelchair. They stop at the capitol of each state they pass through, frequently drawing crowds of thousands of people, while their social media has attracted more than a million followers.

 They set off on 26 October 2025 at 9.30am in Fort Worth, Texas and aim to finish towards the end of February. With an ultra-determined Mars, Mercury in Scorpio on the Ascendant there will be no doubting their persistence in the face of difficulties. The Scorpio planets are in a creative, empathetic, self-contained Water Grand Trine to Jupiter in Cancer in the international and campaigning 9^th house trine a hoping-for-a-better-society Saturn Neptune conjunction in late Pisces and Scheat. Jupiter is in a confident opposition to Pluto giving a hint of facing up to authorities.

 The Scorpio Sun is in a stubbornly resolute square to Pluto; and the eternally optimistic Sagittarius Moon was square the swampy, end-of-an-era Saturn Neptune in Pisces and Scheat as the walk began. There is also a yod of Sun sextile a late Sagittarius Moon inconjunct Uranus marking the desire to upset the status quo. Such an apex Uranus can act as a catalyst for change. The yod is shifting as the Progressed Moon is tightening the aspects as the late February finish approaches with the transiting Saturn Neptune conjunction in Aries also coming together.

 What is intriguing is an assembly in late February of ‘nurturing’ Ceres, ‘wounded healer’ Chiron and Eris, planet of chaos and discord at 23/24 degrees Aries. It would be too much to hope that Ceres and Chiron manage to quell Eris but one can always hope.  See previous post: Eris – conflict and catalyst, 12th November 2025.

And https://www.neptunecafe.com/newsscope

Hugh Laurie is on top career form with two hit series on TV this week. He makes a surprise return as the ‘worst man in the world’ arms’ dealer Roper in the Night Manager 2 and as the nuclear inspector in Tehran on Apple TV. By any reckoning he has had the most extraordinary and varied career starting with the hapless Bertie Wooster alongside Stephen Fry,  the idiot Prince in Blackadder, onto a straight role as the grumpy genius Dr House which made him the highest earning television actor for several years with multiple awards to boot and an endless stream of films since.

 Born 11 June 1959 in London, tentative time 4.30pm, he’s a multi-tasking Sun Gemini with an entertaining stellium in Leo starting with a passionately enthusiastic Mars Venus conjunction then Uranus Moon. He also has a tough-minded and ambitious Pluto in Virgo trine Saturn sextile Neptune. His Neptune is square Venus Mars which will be helpful in the entertainment business. His Jupiter in money-magnet Scorpio is in a pushily confident square to his Pluto. His actor’s 15th Harmonic is very strong.

  He’s heading for more success as Jupiter heads for his 10th house after mid 2026 (birth time being accurate). Though he’ll be making significant changes in his life with tr Uranus square his Pluto and tr Neptune square his Saturn from May/June this hear onwards. And tr Pluto opposition his Venus this year and Mars in 2027/28 which will ramp up his emotional intensity.

 As anxieties soar about the state of the globe, the entertainment world amuses and distracts with the latest hit Heated Rivalry about two gay Canadian hockey players. Based on a best-selling trilogy of novels by Canadian Rachel Reid, a lifelong hockey fan who worried about homophobia in the sport, it has created a storm in its television adaptation.

 Described as “balls-to-the-wall erotic programming. While not hardcore porn, the show does go well beyond suggestion, with plenty of full nudity, extended sex scenes, depictions of oral and penetrative intercourse as well as mutual masturbation — all presented with top-rate production values, idealized perfect male bodies and storylines that leave plenty of room for romance and even affectionate dialogue.”

  One viewer comments “Is it just me or does “Heated Rivalry” feel like it’s really just gay porn for straight women?”

  The fan audience is evidently mainly women. A withering review in The Guardian says the show “is content to exploit gay culture without understanding it in a meaningful way. There is a weird kind of fetish in these works that de-sexes gay men just enough to make them palatable, like pets for young women.”

  I am trying very hard not to sound like Mary Whitehouse, who campaigned against social liberalism and the permissive society on media in the 1960/70s. But there is a ???? something about the no-lines-that-can’t-be crossed approach nowadays which is unnerving especially for television coming in to family homes.

 The western societal/cultural swing away from a repressive approach to sexuality, at least on the surface, was in part a result of Freud’s writings in the early 20^th century which laid the groundwork for Kinsey’s reports on sexuality circa 1950; and was then blasted into fast-forward by the 1960s revolutionary Uranus Pluto in Virgo with homosexuality being legalised in the UK; and women’s liberation and the pill taking the brakes off the old ways.

 As ever the pendulum has swung too far the other way nowadays with concerns about children being exposed to online pornography from as young as nine which has been linked to low self-esteem and harmful views of sex and relationships.

 Looking across recent raunchy rom-coms there are some similarities.

 Rachel Reid, 2 September 1980, author of Heated Rivalry is a Sun Jupiter in Virgo with Venus in Cancer square Pluto and Mars in Scorpio.

E.L.James’ author of Fifty Shades of Grey, an erotic BDSM novel plus movies, 7 March 1963, is a Sun Jupiter in Pisces with Venus in Aquarius opposition Mars in Leo.

 Mars in hard aspect to Venus is one common trait which is shared in the publication date of the Heated Rivalry novel published 25 March 2019, with Venus in Aquarius square Mars in Taurus.

  Mars Venus does have a negative side hinting at sexual gratification split off from emotional feelings which can lead to sensitive individuals getting hurt, and even lead to abusive behaviour. 

  In these examples Mars is also in a Fixed sign – as it is in Jilly Cooper’s chart, 21 February 1937, whose novel Rivals was recently aired in a TV adaptation with its rampant sexuality at full throttle.  She had Mars in Scorpio sextile Neptune inconjunct Venus.  

  Mars rules testosterone and in Fixed signs is at its most covetous/greedy.

  It is the splitting of emotional connection from the sex which is the issue – in chakra terms the heart from the primitive base.

 No great conclusions though interesting to see if the Fire Air emphasis ahead makes a difference – Pluto in Aquarius trine Uranus in Gemini sextile Neptune in Aries.

  Although Aquarius is a sign connected to sex experts and sex obsessives – William Burroughs, Lord Byron, Rabelais, Havelock Ellis, Dr Alex Comfort. Sex up in the head. And with Aquarius’s leaning towards technology the problem of social media porn is unlikely to go away.

New Zealand has been on a long haul post-Covid with a punishing Pluto trail through its domestic 4^th house across its Sun Mars in late Capricorn and square its Pluto which has now finished. Tr Pluto is moving to square the 6^th house Uranus from mid February 2026 to late 2027 which suggests a definite shift out of a rut. It may be turbulent, bringing upheavals and forced change but it will pull away from an extraordinarily difficult past few years.

17 January 1853 12 am Wellington NZ is the chart that works best.  For a country that gives the impression of being a sedate backwater it does have a powerful chart spilling over with initiative and progressive ideas – with a Sun Mars in Capricorn square Pluto in Aries conjunct Uranus. Though it will have had a history of going through periods of constant churn. Its Saturn Uranus conjunction also has the capability of merging old and new and making it stick.

  The present prime minister Christopher Luxon, former CEO of Air New Zealand, who succeeded Jacinda Ardern, is an evangelical Christian, recognised as a social conservative. He has shrunk the civil service, introduced cuts to healthcare expenditure, the three-strikes sentencing law and a pilot military-style boot camp for youth offenders, and enacted billions in tax cuts. In foreign policy, he has increased military spending and Five Eyes cooperation in a general pro-US shift. His coalition partner Winston Peters and David Seymour have openly challenged his authority.

He is a Sun Cancer probably opposition a Capricorn Moon square Jupiter so upbeat and confident; with his Sun in an ambitious trine Neptune sextile Pluto; and a hope-for-a-better-society, though at times indecisive Neptune opposition Saturn.

 He’s in a nerve stretched year with tr Saturn Neptune opposition his Uranus and lacklustre midpoints, running into the buffers by 2027 with Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Pluto.

 His Term chart, 27 November 2023 11.18 am Wellington, NZ, is certainly getting rattled up through this year with tr Uranus opposition the Mars in May and July, returning till early 2027 which suggests high insecurity and arguments.

 Relationship charts with their main trading partners – China, Japan, South Korea, Australia seem OK moving ahead. With Russia not so much – aggravated and disappointed in 2026/27. With the EU also stressed and more so with the UK. So so with the US.

 It has been a truly difficult decade for New Zealand even before covid with tr Uranus in Aries rattling up their Sun Mars and Pluto in 2017/18. Gradually they are aiming for a resurgence which will come after new systems are put in place in 2026/27.

Super-star singer of yesteryear Julio Iglesias is being investigated by Spanish judiciary over sexual assault allegations by two former workers.

  He has been a household name in Spain since the 1960s and was established as a star in the English-speaking entertainment industry with his million selling 1984 album, which included the single “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before“. He also covered “The Air That I Breathe.”

   Born 23 September 1943 11.30 am Madrid, Spain, he was heading for a professional football career but a serious car crash when he was 20 left him unable to walk for two years. In hospital a nurse gave him a guitar which nurtured a love of music. After finishing a law degree he embarked on a singing career.

 He has a showy Jupiter in Leo conjunct the North Node on his Midheaven for confidence and good fortune in his career, along with Venus in Virgo in his 10^th for a charming image. An 11^th house Virgo Sun conjunct Neptune and Mercury is square an 8^th house Saturn in Gemini for a hard-working and defensive streak in his personality. He also has Mars Uranus in his 8^th which suggests subterranean depths of volatile energy. His Venus squares Uranus making him emotionally changeable. A 9^th house Cancer Moon as well as Pluto would give him international influence, strong opinions and point to an early interest in a law career.

 He has been married twice with three children from the first and five from the second. When he had his accident in 1963, his Progressed Moon had just started to move through his 6^th house of health. Tr Pluto squared his 8^th house Uranus for a tremendous upheaval. Tr Uranus through his 10^th changed his life’s direction. Tr Neptune into his 1^st would leave him confused for a while about his identity and image.

  There is no saying whether the allegations are true or not. What is clear is he is in a slump at the moment with tr Neptune opposing his final degree Virgo Sun exactly now till March 2026 and tr Neptune opposition his Neptune Mercury (with tr Saturn adding its blight as well) in coming weeks and month. Thereafter it looks tricky for several years ahead with late 2027/28 flagged up as stressful and worrisome.

  The EU is facing a troubled few years ahead with dashed hopes on the financial front, underhand secrets and dirty dealings exploding into the open, and severe perhaps existential challenges at the end of the decade.

 On the 31 December 1957 11pm Brussels chart, tr Pluto will square the 2^nd house Neptune  through 2026/27 which will bring confusion, indecision and uncertainty – maybe even scandals since the EU Jupiter is conjunct the Neptune.  In 2026 as well the Solar Arc Sun will square Saturn for a discouraging mood and setbacks.

  Tr Uranus will start to square the 12^th house Pluto from June 2026 on and off till April 2027 which will bring an upheaval and make obvious the necessity for radical change both in transparency issues, decision-making and in communication. Tr Uranus continues on in 2027 to oppose the 3^rd house Mars in Sagittarius which will bring jolts, jangles, high insecurity, perhaps disruptions to communications and travel and the likelihood of impulsive over-reactions.

  There will then be tremendous pressures financially and in terms of future direction by 2029/30 with tr Pluto opposition the 11^th house Uranus and square the 8^th house Moon. And an undermining tr Neptune square the Sun in 2029/30.

The Maastricht Treaty chart, 1 November 1993 12 am Brussels, with different aspects is not much smoother ahead with sudden changes of direction due to tr Uranus conjunct the Solar Arc Midheaven from July 2026 into 2027. The Solar Arc Uranus Neptune will square the Mars Pluto and Moon in 2028/29 which will be a life changing crisis. Plus tr Pluto square the Sun in 2028/29.  If it holds together it will be an entirely different entity altogether by 2030.

  The 2004 enlargement 1 May 2004, which brought in largely east European countries –  the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia – and Cyprus, will be under heavy pressure late decade with tr Pluto square the 10 degree Taurus Sun following on from the panic and uncertain tr Neptune square the Saturn just before.

 Both EU charts above show anxiety ahead vis a vis Nato with setbacks, dither and divisions this year on the Maastricht/Nato relationship chart with tr Saturn Neptune opposition the Sun Pluto and tr Uranus opposition the Saturn Neptune. The 1957 EU/Nato relationship will be under considerable pressure and challenges for change with tr Pluto square the Sun this year and next.

 What is striking is that USA relations with both EU charts are in essence cemented together and though showing some strain increasing towards late decade, they will not be as bad as the EU/Trump chemistry.  He will be displaying his standard histrionics towards Europe this year and on.