Astrology of Today’s News

The long awaited, much trumpeted Trump/Kushner Palestine Peace Plan has been roundly condemned on virtually all sides – ‘Trump and Netanyahu have made Mideast peace an even more distant prospect’. ‘Nothing more than a deal between con artists trying to escape their legal problems.’ (Netanyahu facing corruption charges ditto Trump.) ‘ The most deranged, farcical tragi-comedy in Middle East history,’

In the plan the land that the Palestinians will control are ‘sliced and diced by Israeli controlled roads to isolated settlements. Passage between Gaza and the West Bank will apparently be unfettered, but entry and exit out of Palestine will be subject to Israeli security. Palestine won’t have its own port or airport. It will get “earmarked” facilities run by Palestinians in Israeli ports – but subject to Israeli security.’

‘It is impossible to deny that the situation of the Palestinians is one of the worst they have known in their history.’ ‘Mostly it is a matter of dehumanization. In the eyes of many – the Palestinians are nothing more than invisible mice. The humiliating tone of this plan, which was concocted between American Jews and Israeli Jews – which reflects more than anything the celebration of the surrender of the weak and the trampling of their dignity. The deal – which wasn’t negotiated with Palestinian leaders, and was announced without a single Palestinian present – greenlights Israeli annexation of around a third of the West Bank, leaving the Palestinians with a set of isolated islands in a sea of Israeli territory.’

Both the Palestine Independence Declaration chart of 14 November 1988 and the Gaza 9 November 1917 indicate the real disruptions won’t come until 2021 and on to mid decade. Both charts are Scorpio with other Fixed planets which are being upended by tr Uranus hard aspects from next year onwards with rumblings this. The same goes for Israel with its 10^th house Leo Moon Saturn Pluto and finally Mars all in the line of fire from tr Uranus till 2025. It’ll be a bumpy ride in the region. The relationship charts between both Palestinian charts and Israel also point to the same rough timeline. The Palestine 1988 /Israel chart is under discouraging influences this year and starting to rock n’ roll in 2021/22. The Gaza/Israel chart also on edge and more so in 2022/23.

Jared Kushner, 10 January 1981, whose ‘vision’ it was, has his Mercury in Capricorn square Pluto in Libra under pressure from tr Pluto hard aspects for the next three years suggesting bitter, hostile and hard-fought debates with no quarter given on any side with consequent mental strain from that. Shades of the USA 1776 chart with its Mercury opposition Pluto being walloped over the next three years as well.

David Friedman, the US Israel Ambassador, another Orthodox Jew like Kushner, who assisted with the ‘Peace’ plan, 8 August 1958, is a Sun Uranus in Leo square Mars; with Mercury Pluto in Virgo and Mercury trine Mars in Taurus so no slouch when it comes to slamming his views on the table and not budging. He was born only a few days away from Fred Goodwin, the disgraced dictatorial former RBS bank chief and Madonna.

Pamela Anderson’s hitch-up with movie producer and Streisand ex Jon Paters, even by Hollywood standards was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair, with their marriage lasting 12 days before they parted for a period of contemplation. ‘Life is a journey and love a process,’ she intoned in a statement.

Born 1 July 1967 4.08 am, Ladysmith, Canada, she is best known for Playboy and Baywatch, has had a complicated romantic life (extremely), recently been associated with Julian Assange and is a committed animal rights activist.

She’s a Sun Cancer square Saturn in forced-to-be-self-reliant Aries, with a volatile Aries Moon opposition Mars, and the unsettled, disruptive Uranus Pluto in her 4^th house. She has said she was multiply abused as a child.

Jon Peters, 2 June 1945 7.30am Los Angeles, was a hair dresser, hooked up with Barbra Streisand, became a producer, ran Sony Pictures for a decade, has had a checkered career since with a sexual harassment suit virtually ending it according to wiki, and been married and divorced four times. He and Anderson had a fling decades back and only recently got together again.

He’s a wayward Sun Uranus in Gemini in an expansive, risk-taking square to Jupiter, with an impulsive Venus Mars in Aries. Their synastry is not good – with his critical and/or emotionally damaged Saturn conjunct her self-protective Sun; his rebellious Sun Uranus square her Pluto, and his Mars Venus conjunct her Moon and opposition her Mars. That latter would provide an initial spark but all too soon it would turn into arguments.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun, Venus, Mercury conjunction but it squares the composite Moon and trines Neptune – for a mismatch in moods and expectations. Plus a power-struggling Jupiter Pluto square Saturn and a mutually unsupportive composite Mars square Neptune which would lead to ego clashes.

They married on the exact Saturn Pluto conjunction with a needs-space Sun square Uranus and a Moon Mars square Neptune Venus for glitz and illusion/delusion. Not an auspicious day.

Sinn Fein have topped the polls for the Irish election on February 8^th alongside the opposition Fianna Fail Party, led by Michael Martin. Leo Varadkar’s party Fine Gael, in government at present, is lagging behind. Though neither FF nor FG say they will form a coalition with Sinn Fein.

Varadkar, the country’s youngest leader has been a success on the international stage but despite a vibrant internal economy appears to have fallen out of favour.

Born 18 January 1979 he is a Sun Mars in Capricorn square Pluto, which is catching the discouraging tr Saturn conjunct his Sun Mars later this month. He will get an uplift from tr Uranus square his Jupiter in March followed by confidence-denting downbeat Saturn transits to two Jupiter midpoints April to mid June.

Micheal Martin 1 August 1960, is a fiery Leo Sun square Neptune with Venus, Uranus also in Leo trine Jupiter in Sagittarius, plus a stalwartly determined Mars in Taurus and a Scorpio Moon. His chart doesn’t show much (without a birth time) around the election itself but he’s certainly in a year of significant change with tr Uranus opposing his Neptune and square his Sun late April onwards. With a stroke of luck in April.

Mary Lou MacDonald, the Sinn Fein leader, a sturdy Sun Saturn in Taurus with a super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Virgo is on an upswing with tr Pluto trine her Jupiter/Pluto midpoint from late February onwards with major changes ahead as tr Uranus is conjunct her Sun from July onwards. Before then she’ll walk a winding path – catastrophes in March, good luck mid April till early May and high-tension in late May/June – but she’ll battle along in good spirits with that Jupiter/Pluto midpoint keeping her afloat.

The beautiful couple came together briefly at the recent SAG awards which sent the celebrity magazines into a frenzy. Will Jennifer and Brad get back together? One of the most adored couples in Hollywood left fans bereft when they split in 2005 as Brad sailed off into the sunset with Angelina Jolie, from whom he has now de-coupled.

All froth and glitter but a curiously persistent fan-dream.

They should have been the perfect match with his Sagittarius Sun conjunct her Moon and his Moon Venus in Capricorn trine her Pluto. And his Jupiter in Aries conjunct her Venus. There are a few less helpful crossovers with her Yod focal point Saturn in Aries squaring his Moon Venus and blocking his emotional needs, perhaps with too many work commitments. His Saturn in Aquarius is conjunct her Sun and square her Mars (Neptune) in Scorpio which also suggests defensive barriers and obstacles to emotional warmth from heavy workloads. Her Pluto on his Midheaven would tempt her to be overly controlling. And his Mars is in a volatile, disruptive square to her Uranus Jupiter and Venus which would bring pluses and minuses – adventure and fun though it’d be erratic and unstable as well.

What wouldn’t help was that both their Sun/Moon midpoints, the significator for close partnerships, aren’t wonderfully aspected. His is square a competitive and argumentative Mars; and hers is in a downbeat square Saturn. It goes back to the old rule of thumb about astro-relationships. No matter how positive certain planetary connections are if the individuals are not designed or minded to relate then it won’t work.

Their synastry, all things considered, is reasonably positive. But their composite chart is in the never-in-a-month-of-Sundays-will-this-last category. On the upside there’s a mild but amiable composite Jupiter opposition Moon trine Venus – and an impossible, volcanic and unfixable composite Uranus Pluto opposition Saturn square Mars. When they split in early 2005 tr Pluto has been grinding its way in hard aspect to Uranus, Pluto, Saturn and Mars, really since early on in the marriage.

Tr Neptune is now dissolving its way round Mars at the moment and then Pluto, Saturn later this year and Uranus in 2021. It could soften the deep-seated anger issues but more likely will bring disappointment. So I fear a rapprochement won’t happen any time soon or ever.

A schmaltzy feel-good movie starring Tom Hanks has been an unlikely critical and box office success. ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ about American children’s TV presenter of yesteryear Fred Rogers has been described as “a really entertaining and touching film” with “a powerfully affecting message about acceptance and understanding.” It pits a hard-bitten reporter from a dysfunctional family against Rogers, who was a national treasure in the US, admired for the way he encouraged children and adults to talk and think about their feelings using puppets. All attempts to dig dirt on Rogers fails with his antagonist finally admitting “he’s just about the nicest person I’ve ever met.” Rogers’ show ran from 1968 to 2001.

Born 20 March 1928 8.20am Latrobe, Pennsylvania, with a businessman father and a charitably-oriented mother, Fred Rogers was a shy, introverted, overweight and bullied child who isolated himself and played with puppets. He emerged to take a degree in musical composition and was ordained as a minister. He went into television since he thought he could use the medium to help nurture young children. His show emphasized young children’s social and emotional needs, unlike Sesame Street, which focused on cognitive learning and it continued unchanged for over thirty years.

He had his Sun in final degree Pisces conjunct Uranus in Aries with Moon, Venus, Mercury also in Pisces and all in the 11^th house of friends and the wider society. He was clearly innovative with Uranus there, but in a softly Piscean way – and musical. His Jupiter in the 12^th would give him an inner peace that others would envy. He also had a fated Yod of an ambitious and uncompromising Mars in Aquarius in the 10^th sextile a reserved 8^th house Saturn inconjunct Pluto in the communication 3^rd. A focal point Pluto would give him an intensity and depth awareness of others but also an ability to withdraw into himself. Handled well such a Pluto can help bring in a new order of things, though its downside is a tendency to manipulate. His Pluto was also in a pushily confident square to Jupiter and trine his Moon. His Saturn in the 8^th squared his Moon and widely his Sun, making him emotionally reserved and a workaholic. Saturn in the 8^th also points to a grandfather prominent in his childhood. His ‘niceness’ was backed by a powerful personality.

Tom Hanks, born 9 July 1956 5.17 pm Concord, California, would have some empathy for Rogers since he was also a shy and unpopular child at school with religious leanings. He is also Watery, with a Cancer Sun and Mercury, Mars in Pisces and Saturn in Scorpio – and Hanks also has Jupiter in his 12th. Not precisely the same but reasonably similar.

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All is going spiffingly well in Boris-land as the long-dangled carrot of Brexit is finally within reach. A right-wing commentator remarked after Davos that Britain is the most stable country in Europe. Other bystanders remark more sourly that having won the prize Boris has no idea of what to do next, either internally or EU-wise.

His personal chart is about to lose the panic-struck tr Neptune square his Mars/Node which greeted his election and has been around since so there’s no doubt his victory induced a degree of high anxiety. His central T square of Saturn opposition Uranus Pluto square Mars has moved by Solar Arc to catch downbeat tr Saturn hard aspects off and on all year; with a discouraging tr Saturn square his Moon in late March/early April, again in the second half of June. That may be partly due to family problems given that his divorce is (I think) still not finalised. He certainly looks sombre in these two phases.

He will get a lift from tr Pluto trine his Mars/Jupiter midpoint, now through February and again later in the year; though there’ll also be upsets and relationship separations in March, April and across the next New Year. Plus, if his birth time is accurate, a jolting Solar Arc conjunct his Uranus, exact within six months. Again birth time being accurate his Progressed Moon is now moving through his 2^nd house of finances for two years ahead, perhaps an indication he is feeling the pinch having had to give up his lucrative journalistic contracts.

What may be more significant are the influences on his Government chart, 13 December 2019 11am London, which point to a run of losses and waning powers, exactly now through February; and worsening in March and October to late January 2021. These may coincide with disasters which will cause major confusion. But also suggests a less than decisive grip on sorting problems, with a tendency to act deviously.

Where his Government chart and indeed the UK chart show up most muddle and trepidation is in 2021 and 2022. His Government chart has tr Neptune square the Sun from late March 2021 onwards running till early 2022 which will be lacklustre and indecisive. The tough Saturn Venus Pluto conjunction will move to exact by Solar Arc in 2021/22 which will be exceptionally challenging and not a little depressing with mountains to climb. Tr Uranus opposes the Mars for high insecurity and a shocking jolt in 2022 when tr Uranus is also in hard aspect to Boris’s over-hopeful, head-in-the-clouds Neptune opposition Jupiter.

The UK chart is muddling through this year with a few dips in late March/early April and the second half of June as tr Saturn squares the 10^th house Jupiter; and seriously bad-tempered and argumentative as the Solar Arc Mars is conjunct the 3rd house Mercury exact in late year. But again it is 2021/22 when a much less appealing scenario starts to unfold. Tr Neptune will square the Mars/Jupiter midpoint from late March 2021 for a confidence dent and bubble bursting phase running into early 2022; with losses from tr Uranus square Jupiter/Saturn midpoint from mid year onwards till early 2022. Though it’s the potentially catastrophic tr Uranus conjunct the 8^th house UK Mars from May 2021 onwards into 2022 which could cause most aggro – this is likely to be to do with international trade as well as being prone to disasters and major accidents. Plus tr Pluto squares the Uranus/Neptune midpoints which Ebertin describes as “At the mercy of external circumstances, unable to make a firm stand, calamities and great losses.’ Even give Ebertin’s somewhat overly melodramatic interpretations it doesn’t look calm and productive through 2021/22.

John Bolton’s book disclosure that the president tied military aid to Ukraine to investigations of Democrats, undercutting Trump’s denial defence, has been described as a “bombshell with political shrapnel going in all directions.” Before it was leaked, the Senate impeachment trial was speeding to an acquittal. Now Trump lawyers and Senate Republicans are preparing for the possibility that witnesses will be summoned — dragging out the trial for days or weeks.

Bolton, born 20 November 1948 in Baltimore, a foreign policy hawk, replaced HR McMaster (who replaced Michael Flynn) as National Security Adviser in 2018. He lasted sixteen months before exiting – Trump said fired, Bolton said resigned.

He’s a late Sun Scorpio inconjunct Uranus with Mercury also in Scorpio in an argumentative and unyielding square to Pluto.

His Mars in Sagittarius in a volatile, uncompromising opposition to Uranus clashes with Trump’s Sun and Moon so it was always going to be a competitive, combative relationship with volcanic flare-ups.

Bolton looks geared up and in confident forward-gear through February and again later in the year with tr Pluto square his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint. Though he will have setbacks late March/early April and late June.

What is more significant is his relationship chart with Trump which indicates distinct aggravation February 11 to 19, repeating late August and again late October to November 12^th over the election, with tr Saturn square the composite Mars. There’s also a disastrous and panicky mood in their relations from late March until late August and repeating late January to March 2021 with tr Neptune opposing the composite Mars/Pluto and Mars/Saturn midpoints. So Bolton could do real damage.

Bolton’s interface with Mitch McConnell is chilly, suspicious and unstable to start with having a composite Sun opposition Saturn square Neptune; and Uranus (Moon) opposition Venus square Mars. And there are a raft of separating tr Saturn hard aspects to four composite midpoints throughout the year with a flare up in late May; recurring late October to mid November across the election.

Interesting turn of events and could throw a real spanner in the works.

If responding and you’re more than welcome I’d be grateful if you’d restrict comments to either astrological ones; and/or brief informative AND dispassionate political ones. If you’re feeling enraged, aggravated or overly excited, please take several deep breaths and go for a nature walk.

Kobe Bryant, considered one of the greatest basketball players ever, who over twenty seasons with the Lakers racked up multiple wins and championships, has been killed in a helicopter crash in fog. His 13 year old daughter Gianna and seven others were also killed.

He was born 23 August 1978 5pm Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (time unverified) with a professional basketball father and uncle, and grew up partly in Italy, where his father played latterly. He started playing basketball at 3 and studied videos of games his grandfather sent him.

He was a serious Sun Saturn in Virgo – in the 8^th if this birth time is correct which would fit with a goal-oriented grandfather. He had a do-or-die determined and intensely charming Mars Pluto Venus in Libra in the 9^th house of foreign countries and communication. With a maverick Uranus in the 10^th, marking out a career away from the ordinary for him, in an emotionally unpredictably opposition to an indulgent and possessive 4^th house Taurus Moon. He certainly had the drive and discipline to mark out his own path.

While there is never any reliable way of predicting death he did have his Solar Arc Sun Saturn crossing his Mars Pluto over several years around now – so whatever happened he would have been at a critical turning point. These are the two main aspects in his chart and when they come together it usually points to a phase of rolling crises.

Teenage pop star Billie Eilish swept the board at the 2020 Grammys, winning five awards, including best new artist and song of the year. Her elder brother, Finneas O’Connell picked up producer of the year for his work on her album. She appeared overwhelmed by her wins and said earlier that she felt like an impostor. “I feel like I’m not supposed to be here,” she joked. “I feel like they accidentally let in a fan.”

“We didn’t make this album to win a Grammy,” said her brother, “We wrote an album about depression and suicidal thoughts and climate change and being a bad guy, whatever that means.”

She has tr Jupiter conjunct her Solar Arc Midheaven around now and conjunct her Solar Arc Sun in February, so she’ll be on a high but also almost certainly confused since she has an extraordinarily heavy and conflicted chart with her Pluto opposition Saturn square Mars in Pisces.

From a previous post: JULY 3 2019

Billie Eilish was another standout at Glastonbury. Despite being only 17 she’s been around on the scene for three years and has seven gold and two platinum singles to her name.

Suzanne Moore in the Guardian described her as ‘ a dark star. In control, but slightly out of it. Scarily good at tapping into the angsty teenage girl in all of us.’ She wears baggy clothes she says to attract attention and not be body-shamed.

Born 18 December 2001 at 11.30 am Los Angeles, with two entertainment business parents, she was home schooled and began singing and writing songs early, following in her older brother’s footsteps. She has said she suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome and depression.

She has a 10^th house ambitious Sagittarius Sun and Venus sextile a quirky Uranus and Mercury in Capricorn also in the 10^th – so is designed to communicate and be in the public eye. Her difficulties will stem in part from a 3^rd house Saturn opposition Pluto square a 12^th house Mars in musical Pisces – that carries a considerable amount of rage and inner conflict. Saturn Pluto can be prone to discouragement and Mars Pluto can get both scared and deeply frustrated. Not an easy burden to carry.

She will be charming with Venus on her midheaven and rather ethereal with her Aquarius Moon conjunct Neptune; as well as confident with her Jupiter opposition Mercury and trine Mars. But that Mutable Pluto Saturn Mars T Square is quite a cross to carry.

With Jupiter moving through her 10^th now for another year, she should be on a high, and will probably stay prominent for another few years. But may take a break a la Kate Bush to recuperate at some point.

Add On: Her brother Finneas O’Connell, 30 July 1997, also has a highly stressed Mars which is opposition Saturn square Neptune, which points like his sister to deep-seated anger issues and a sense of an under-nurturing childhood. The parents Patrick O’Connell and Maggie Baird are both minor actor/musicians who decided to home school them having seen a successful musical act of kids who had also been brought up away from mainstream education. In what sounds like a hot house environment one report has them sharing a four person bed until Finneas was 10 and Billie would be six. If true that is definitely not recommended in the psych books and would certainly skew their Mars which rules the libido and fuels anger.

Dates are from the net but if sound, Patrick is 7 July 1977, a controlling Sun Cancer square Pluto, with a hard-edged Mars in Taurus square Saturn. His relationship with Maggie, 30 March 1977, is hugely fraught with a composite Mars trine Saturn trine Neptune with Mars opposition Pluto; ditto with Billie and Finneas.

Maggie is also controlling with her Aries Sun opposition Pluto and trine Saturn and Neptune; with has an even more stressed Mars which is on the focal point of a Yod to Saturn sextile Pluto. Her relationship charts with both children, especially Billie, reflect all that churning conflict.

These kids will need a lot of healing as they move into adulthood and it’s not easy to move away from these ‘tight’, enmeshed families since the only way of coping early on is to sugar-coat the pill and see the parents as supportive and kind. Facing the reality is acutely painful and scar.

Billie and her brother have a much more enthusiastic and less stressed relationship.