Astrology of Today’s News

A virulent spat has blown up in the higher echelons of the pop music business with Taylor Swift erupting on social media about her back catalogue being bought over by pop power-broker Scooter Braun. She accused him of ‘incessant manipulative bullying’ over years. He is a publicity-loving Svengali who plucked Justin Bieber from YouTube obscurity, masterminded the rise of Ariana Grande and served as a confidante to Kanye West, all of whom are supporting him. Chart titans have been taking sides with Harry Styles, Rihanna, Billie Eilish, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and others all “unfollowing” Braun on Instagram. Quelle horreur.

She was born 13 December 1989 (birth times vary) and he 18 June 1981.

She’s a Sun Sagittarius with the unpredictable, can-be-chaotic triple conjunction of Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn conjunct Mercury opposition Jupiter in Cancer; and both Pluto and Mars in unforgiving Scorpio.

Brain is a stratospherically ambitious Sun Gemini opposition a musical Neptune trine Pluto; with a hard edged and adventurous Mars in Gemini trine Saturn and Jupiter in Libra. His Saturn trines her Venus in Aquarius and his Venus in Cancer opposes her Saturn – both of which are fine for a working relationship. The major problem (without birth times) is her Mars in Scorpio exactly conjunct his Uranus which is a fairly volcanic trigger point.

Their relationship chart has two stressed Yods, suggesting a relationship that is transformative for both of them, for good or ill. There’s a simmering-rage Mars sextile Pluto inconjunct Mercury (Moon) and a chilly Sun sextile Saturn inconjunct Venus. There’s also an inspirational Fire Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Uranus trine Venus – which if it could be made to work might provide the basis for some co-operation. But there’s probably too much aggravation and strain from the Yods to make that possible.

Evidently it is standard in the music business for artists not to own their back catalogue.

Another set of nuptials this weekend with Big Little Lies star Zoe Kravitz marrying actor Karl Glusman at her father musician Lenny Kravitz’s Paris home.

She was born 1 December 1988 in California and is a fiery Sun Mercury in Sagittarius trine Mars in Aries; with an intensely passionate Venus Pluto in Scorpio and a Virgo Moon.

Karl, 3 January 1988, is a Sun Neptune and Mercury in Capricorn with a Cancer Moon and Venus in Aquarius square Pluto and an ultra-determined Mars in Scorpio.

His Venus squares her Venus Pluto and his Mars in Scorpio opposes her Jupiter in Taurus – so it’ll be a lively, emotionally high-pitched match. Her Mars squares his Sun which will be argumentative.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus conjunction but that’s also conjunct Uranus Saturn Mercury – so there will be too much work and barriers from that at times; and tensions which erupt into the open from Saturn Uranus. There’s also composite Jupiter opposition Pluto which initially brings great confidence and mutual support but can turn into a struggle for the upper hand.

This one will be a high-wire act.

Two Capricorns with diametrically different backgrounds got hitched in Vegas on Friday. Rachel Riley, an Oxford maths whizz with an interest in popularising the sciences, 11 January 1986, who’s also a television personality who co-presents the daytime puzzle show Countdown married Pasha Kovalev, 19 January 1980, a professional Russian dancer born in Siberia. They met when she competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.

She’s a Sun Venus in Capricorn with (probably) an Aquarius Moon; while he’s a determined and controlling Sun Capricorn sextile Uranus and square Pluto with an Aquarius Moon and Venus in Pisces. His Pluto is trine her Jupiter for high enthusiasm; and square her Venus for passion; but his indulgent Venus opposition Jupiter squares her Saturn so she may criticise his extravagant habits. His Saturn in Virgo is trine her Sun which is good for practicalities but square her Uranus which will bring some rough edges.

Their relationship chart has possessive composite Sun square Pluto and an argumentative Sun Mercury square Mars, so it will get noisy at times. The composite Venus may be conjunct the Moon and is certainly sextile Uranus for fun. It won’t all be sweetness and light with Sun Pluto Mars but that will bring an intense closeness initially though I suspect problems later when it turns into a power struggle.

She is expecting a baby in December which may put a strain on them since tr Pluto will conjunct the composite Sun from early 2020 for two years.

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A headline-grabbing, stage-managed visit by Trump to the demilitarized border between North and South Korea has been written off by critics as political theatre. Lots of publicity but to what end? The stalled denuclearization talks will resume but there’s no indication that Kim Jong Un is serious about getting rid of his weapons programme.

The North Korea 9 September 1948 5.27pm chart looks no more cheerful ahead than it has been as it labours under near starvation with punitive sanctions in place. Tr Neptune will continue to oppose the Virgo Sun till late this year with high-tension insecurity through the autumn and early in 2020; and will hit a financial dashed-hopes square to the Jupiter in 2020/21; doubled up by a financially disappointing Solar Arc Venus conjunct Neptune in 2020 as well; followed by a discouraging setback in 2021 as the Solar Arc Sun squares Saturn.

Kim Jong Un’s leadership chart, 20 December 2011 11.57 am Pyonggang, North Korea, having got over what could have been a terminal series of blockages in the recent past has an evasive tr Neptune square Mercury till late this year and then is facing an undermining, panicky-failure tr Neptune opposition the Mars in 2020/21. Plus the Solar Arc Midheaven is conjunct the Pluto in less than a year’s time which is normally a blocked phase.

There’s nothing much that looks like progress from North Korea’s point of view. And the relationship chart between NK and the USA continues to look disappointing and high-tension for several years ahead.

Stormzy’s performance at Glastonbury has met with rapturous reviews – ‘a historic performance that tore down barriers and moved souls’; ‘from explosive opening to explosive finale, with all kind of personal, political and emotional epiphanies occurring throughout.’

The first male black artist and first British rapper to headline the music festival, he strode on stage in a stab-proof Union Jack vest, highlighting inequality in the justice system and the arts.

Born 26 July 1993 in London, he’s become successful very quickly with only one album to his name. In the past he’s spoken out about institutionalised racism and police brutality, called Theresa May a “criminal” for her response to the Grenfell disaster and has a pointed attack on Boris Johnson in one of his songs. He’s evidently one of Jeremy Corbyn’s favourite rappers.

His Sun is in entertaining Leo in a confident sextile to Jupiter in fair-minded Libra, with an intensely emotional Scorpio Moon. His Mercury in Cancer is opposition Neptune Uranus in Capricorn contributing to his outspoken streak. He has Mars in hard working Virgo trine Uranus Neptune, sextile Pluto – so he has the power to influence and is a powder-keg of pent-up, high-octane energy. Plus a tough-minded, unyielding Pluto square Saturn.

This is an upbeat year for him with his Solar Arc Jupiter square his Sun; and tr Uranus trine his Sun/Jupiter midpoint exactly at the moment.

Rumours are that Jeremy Corbyn’s health is deteriorating and that he is not up to the job. According to The Times, senior civil servants are warning he may be forced to stand down because he is “too frail and is losing his memory”. They say he is being “propped up” by his advisers and lacks a firm grasp of both foreign affairs and the domestic agenda. Labour figures talk of a culture of bullying and intimidation in his office; and a former cabinet minister told of a “moral malaise at the top”.

His term chart, 24 September 2016 12.51pm London always did look unstable from April this year onwards with tr Pluto square the Uranus which is often when leaders topple off their perch. That repeats off and on till late 2020, with the next exact aspect early in 2020 – but it could happen at any time.

The Cancer Moon opposition Pluto on this chart is also being rattled up by the upcoming early July Cancer Solar Eclipse and was even more triggered by this year’s January Solar Eclipse. So very much a crisis year.

His own chart, 26 May 1949, does have tr Neptune square the Mercury, since 2018 and around till this December – which would certainly induce a vagueness though it can happen at any age and isn’t necessarily indicative of mental deterioration. His Progressed Mars in Cancer will be affected by the July Solar Eclipse and his Solar Arc Mars in later Cancer by the mid July Lunar Eclipse – so it’s an insecure time for him.

His relationship charts with both the 1900 and 1906 Labour Party charts are both facing transiting Saturn discouragement and a sense of separation.

His inner circle of Karie Murray and Seumas Milne I can find no birth dates for – grateful if anyone has them.

John McDonnell, 8 September 1951, his Shadow Chancellor, has a revolutionary focal point Uranus in Cancer his chart which is directly in line of the July Cancer Solar Eclipse so his life is due for a serious shake up. His relationship with Corbyn is under worried and undermining Neptune transits all year.

Another is Andrew Murray, 3 July 1958, ex-Communist Party, hard, hard left, semi-aristo upbringing has his Cancer Sun within a degree of this July Cancer Solar Eclipse so it is also a time at the crossroads for him with setbacks through the autumn and major confusion and insecurity on his relationship chart with Corbyn.

The fifth Len McCluskey, 23 July 1950, has disappointing Neptune transits running in 2019/2020 on his personal chart; and red alerts flashing on his relationship chart with Corbyn.

The Labour Party charts themselves aren’t too illuminating.

Pic: Chris McAndrew

Kamala Harris was the front-runner from last night’s Democratic debate with the second batch of hopefuls.

Born 20 October 1964 9.28 pm Oakland, California, she’s a lively and entertaining 5^th house Sun Libra opposition an Aries Moon; with an outspoken 3^rd house Mars in Leo in a tough-minded opposition to Saturn; and a complicated sense of her roots with Uranus Pluto Venus in her 4^th – her mother is Indian and her father Jamaican.

She does have tr Pluto trine her Jupiter from early 2020 onwards for two years which is usually successful and good for confidence, and is exact on Inauguration Day. Though there’s nothing showing on her midheaven or Solar Arc midheaven; and she’ll have Saturn Pluto (and Jupiter) all in the 8^th then which feels more backroom than front of house. She does have her Solar Arc Full Moon sitting exactly on her North Node at the election which is fairly obscure but could land her in the middle of the zeitgeist. She’s certainly in with a shout.

Elizabeth Warren, 22 June 1949 1.51pm seems to have moderately impressed viewers but she’s sagging badly in 2020 with Neptunian sinkers plus a couple of collision Solar Arcs.

Joe Biden isn’t looking good this year or next with tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Jupiter midpoint which will erode his confidence.; plus a dashed-hopes tr Pluto square his Mars/Neptune midpoint in 2019/20 and across the election.

Peter Buttigieg see post March 19 2019.

Agree with Solaia – it’s hopeless with this number. The field needs to drastically slim down.

Sir Jony Ive, designer of the iMac, iPod and iPhone, the Brit who over two decades helped turn Apple into the world’s most valuable company, is leaving to set up his own venture LoveFrom, with Apple as its first client. The late Steve Jobs, once said of him: “If I had a spiritual partner at Apple, it’s Jony.” One of Ive’s most recent projects was finishing Apple’s new corporate headquarters, Apple Park.

Born 27 February 1967 he has a delightfully perfect chart for an innovative designer. He has a creative Water Grand Trine of Jupiter in Cancer trine Neptune trine Saturn in Pisces, formed into an even more talented Kite by Saturn opposition a leading-edge, think-out-of-the-box and break-old-moulds Uranus Pluto in Virgo. His Sun like Steve Jobs is in Pisces and both charts have Jupiter in Cancer.

Ive’s relationship chart with Apple 1976 has a friendly and tied together Sun Venus opposition Pluto; and even more tied together Saturn trine Pluto; and a lucky Jupiter trine Uranus.

His next several years won’t be without their problems with a run of disappointing Neptune transits; and a major setback or several with plans not working out through really till almost mid decade. But it won’t stop him pushing confidently ahead with some successes from tr Pluto opposition his Jupiter in 2021/22 pushing his Grand Trine onto a new track.

Pic: Marcus Dawes.

Ted Bundy, the American serial killer and necrophile, has been dragged back into the spotlight on the 30^th anniversary of his execution with a television documentary and a film about his murder spree. He kidnapped, raped, and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. He confessed to 30 homicides but the true number of victims is possibly higher. His father is unknown but there is some suggestion he was the result of incest between his mother and violent, abusive grandfather. He was intelligent, educated to college level and by all accounts charismatic. His biographer described him as a sadistic sociopath who took pleasure in his victims’ pain.

Born 24 November 1946 10.35 pm Burlington, Vermont, he certainly had a grossly afflicted Moon which was conjunct Mars in the 4^th trine a 12^th house Pluto Saturn in Leo and opposition Uranus – all suggestive of an angry, cold, cruel mother who was both controlling (Pluto) and rejecting (Uranus). One of the things which drives children crazy is double messaging and she certainly was the root cause of a good deal of his internal chaos and sadism.

His Sun was in Sagittarius as well as his Moon and he had his Venus Jupiter and Mercury in Scorpio. There is a recurring theme with many murderers of a Sag Scorpio emphasis in their charts.

His relationship chart with his mother, 21 September 1924, was unsurprisingly highly stressed with a composite paranoid and unkind Neptune Saturn (Moon) trine Mars; and a tumultuous composite T Square of Sun opposition Uranus square Pluto.

His relationship with his grandfather, 23 September 1898, less so.

There’s no doubt his grandfather dominated his mother since his Mars was conjunct her Pluto; and their relationship chart is controlling with a composite Pluto square Sun Venus. So it’s possible there was an illicit relationship but not provable.

All of his harmonics which are marked repeat the Mars Pluto aspect of his natal chart with his pleasure-seeking 9^th and serial-killer 18H having it exactly conjunct. As did his ‘sacrificial-victim’ 12H.

The world is definitely a better place without him.