Astrology of Today’s News

The Brexit marathon has been stretched another six months to 31 October – and maybe longer as the finishing line recedes into the far distance. The Halloween date lands on Mercury’s station to retrograde which isn’t inspiring. There’s admittedly a direction-change, potential separation from Uranus in the 10^th opposition Sun; but there’s also a mega-aggravated, hugely frustrated, argumentative and stuck Mars square Saturn Pluto.

The clamour for Theresa May’s departure is growing ever louder to all except herself. In typically obdurate fashion she marches blithely on down a slope that offers no semblance of optimism that she’s going to win anything this year.  Tr Pluto squares her Jupiter/Saturn midpoint till the final week of May which is career loss-making; then she’s got the blocked, frustrating and irritating tr Pluto conjunct her Mars/Node till early July. After which she picks up the catastrophic-setback tr Pluto conjunct her Mars/Saturn till late August and again November/December this year.

Tr Neptune is also sapping her motivation and undermining her power base in May to mid August as it opposes her Sun/Pluto midpoint at the same time as it has a dissolving action on her Government chart. Mid August to late September tr Neptune is back opposing her Jupiter for dashed hopes; and into November, after the supposed deadline, she’s back in deep sh** with Pluto on her Mars/Saturn again.

Late May to early June are the only two ripples of a suggestion that she might alter her status with the Tory Party and UK. But nothing too definite.

Sudan is rapidly sliding into chaos with the police and some soldiers in Khartoum protecting demonstrators from Government  security agents. Protests against the Islamist President Oman al-Bashir, who has governed Sudan since 1989, have been under way for several months, initially over food prices but that has now turned into demands for a transitional government with new leadership. A young Sudanese woman in a white robe has become one of the iconic symbols of the uprising.

Bashir’s rule has been blighted by accusations of human rights abuses. He is subject to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant over accusations of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. He promised to resign in 2015 and then reneged.

He became President on 30 June 1989 when the chaotic and disruptive triple conjunction of Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn was in place opposition a Cancer Sun, which in turn was in a controlling trine to Pluto. With Pluto in a ruthless square to Mars. The Solar Arc Uranus, Saturn Neptune has been moving in opposition to Venus Mars recently which would certainly dent his regime’s enthusiasm and undercut its power.  Tr Uranus is now square the Presidency Venus and will move across the midpoints, then form the volatile, explosive square to the Mars in 2020. The July Cancer Eclipse this year will also have a marked impact on this chart.

Bashir’s birthdate is given as 1 January 1944, which may or may not be too sound – if accurate then his Capricorn Sun will also be impacted by the midyear Solar Eclipse.

Sudan was granted independence on 1 January 1956, which produces an exceptionally tough Mars Saturn in Scorpio square Pluto Jupiter; with a fanatical Uranus square Neptune; a Capricorn Sun and a Cancer midheaven.  This year was always going to bring crisis with the Eclipses moving between Capricorn and Cancer hinting that change was long overdue. Tr Uranus has also been opposing the Neptune and square Uranus, so causing high levels of anxiety and a rebellious upsurge. Feelings will continue to run high into 2020 with tr Uranus square the Venus; and there is an intense tr Pluto conjunct the Sudan Mercury running through 2020/2021.

The prevailing Saturn Pluto conjunction isn’t normally a promoter of grassroots revolutions and the Sudan chart is exceptionally fixed. Any changes will come, if at all, only very slowly under maximum pressure.

The repressive Saturn Pluto conjunction is the clear winner of the Israeli elections with Netanyahu and a right-wing coalition looking likely to take power. Haaretz, the liberal Tel Aviv newspaper is scathing about the election – “the surest proof that Israel under his leadership has transitioned to dictatorship — the emergence of the equation under which Netanyahu hopes to trade annexation of West Bank settlements in exchange for immunity from prosecution.”

He’ll start his fifth term under indictment for a variety of charges including bribery, fraud and breach of trust; and with the support of Trump and Kushner.

Jupiter is moving through his first house at the moment lifting his enthusiasm and confidence; but with tr Saturn now firmly into his lowest phase career-wise until 2022 as it moves through his 2^nd house – the nadir of the first quadrant –  he’s likely to be sliding on banana skins and tripping over himself. Late 2020 will see a major setback for him which may be legal given it is Solar Arc Saturn square his 9^th house Mars. Despite that he’ll respond with bullish confidence and probably some success in 2020/21 with tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter – though that can also bring conflict with authority for those disinclined to pay heed to laws and regulations.

Before then this year he’s a few hurdles to overcome and swamps to cross – a high-tension, unsettled Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Saturn, exact in three months’ time; as well as tr Saturn square his Neptune, tr Neptune opposition his Saturn and tr Pluto square his Sun/Neptune midpoint till late year.

Arab Israeli turnout was low, perhaps because of harassment during the previous election and hidden cameras in voting stations this time round.

See March 1 2019 post.

Kirstjen Nielsen was hardly a weak-kneed liberal as Homeland Security chief but she still fell foul of Trump’s disdain for the rule of law. When she pushed back against his more extreme ideas because they clashed with U.S. immigration laws and federal court orders, he forced her to resign.

Kevin McAleenan, the next pick for the job has not ruled out reinstating the separation of immigrant children and parents. NBC news reported that Trump has been pushing for months to go back to separating families, leading to a rift with those who said the move would not be legal.

Kirstjen Nielsen, 14 May 1972, should have been a reasonable fit with Trump given that her Taurus Sun sat exactly conjunct his Midheaven; though that did mean it squared his Mars, so there would be an irritability factor.  Their relationship chart had a controlling composite Sun square Pluto.

There’s nothing much showing on her chart (without a birth time) though her Gemini Moon may be catching the tr Neptune square.

If anything, McAleenan looks a more volatile mix with both Trump and right-winger Stephen Miller who appears to be in there mixing it on the immigration front, stoking up Trump’s obsession. McA is a Sun Venus in Virgo with an unsentimental Air Grand Trine of Mars, Uranus and Saturn. He’s probably got a fairly dogmatic ideology with that Grand Trine but could be a loose cannon all the same.

It makes Westminster’s floundering chaos seem almost civilised in comparison with the White House.

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Libya which has been torn by violence and political instability since Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011 is winding up for yet more trouble with foreign troops and peacekeepers exiting because of the danger. There are dozens of militias operating in the country and this present confrontation was precipitated by rebel forces under Egypt and UAE-backed Gen Khalifa Haftar who have been advancing from the east with the aim of taking the capital, Tripoli. The UN-backed prime minister has accused him of attempting a coup. A unity government has been in place since 2015 but has struggled to assert national control.

Libyan gained independence on 24 December 1951 at midnight presumably. It’s a highly Cardinal chart with a Capricorn Sun, Jupiter in Aries, Uranus in Cancer and  four planets in Libra. When the long term dictator Gaddafi was killed in late 2011 tr Pluto was square the Jupiter and tr Uranus was square the Sun. That started a long and troubled phase of the tr Uranus square tr Pluto bouncing off Saturn, Mars and Neptune which is still ongoing with tr Pluto trailing behind, still square the Neptune for confusion and devastation this year until this December. Tr Neptune is also in a directionless, swampy square to the Libya midheaven till January 2020 which doesn’t look like a resolution anytime soon. And the Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct the Sun for an undermining late 2020/21; followed by an emotionally intense and blocked tr Pluto square the Moon in 2023/24, with muddle and mayhem as it moves across various midpoints before then.

General Haftar, 7 November 1943, is a stubbornly determined Sun Mercury in Scorpio square Pluto; with a hard-edged Mars Saturn in Gemini. He’s got some real highs and some real downers ahead. On the upside his Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct his Jupiter for a lucky break around this year; with a confident Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct Mercury in 2020 and conjunct his Sun in 2022. But he’s also got tr Neptune squaring his Mars in 2021 for a sense of panicky failure and square his Saturn in 2023 for teeth-gritting worries.

In the aftermath of Gaddafi’s death and the descent of Libya into chaos, there was heavy criticism of David Cameron and Nicholas Sarkozy for the failure to develop a coherent strategy to fill the gap left by Gaddafi’s departure.

Tiger Roll won the Grand National yesterday to become the first horse since Red Rum 45 years ago to win the Aintree race two years running. In fact Red Rum went on to win a third National and come in twice in subsequent years.

Tiger Roll, who at 15 hands 2 inches is more of a lady’s hack size than a steeplechaser, was foaled in Ireland on 14 March 2010. He’s a Sun Uranus Mercury in Pisces with Jupiter and maybe Moon also in Pisces. If that sounds too watery and wishy washy, his Saturn in Libra opposes his Uranus Sun and Venus in Aries; as well as being sextile Mars in flashy Leo – so he’s got disciplined and backbone.

His chart is nothing like Red Rum’s – 3 May 1965, also Ireland. He was an Earthy Sun Venus in Taurus opposition Neptune and trine and explosive combination of Pluto, Uranus, Mars in Virgo. His Virgo planets opposed Saturn and squared North Node in Gemini. He retired at 13 and died after a long retirement when he was 30.

Keir Starmer, the UK Opposition spokesman for Brexit, comes across as a steady pair of hands. He was formerly a defence lawyer with an interest in human rights and Head of the Crown Prosecution Service. He only became an MP in 2014 and declined to stand in the leadership contest because of his lack of political experience.

Born 2 September 1962, he does have an influential and powerful chart with a ‘healing’ and private Water Grand Trine of Mars in Cancer trine Neptune trine Jupiter, formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition a Sun Pluto (Uranus) conjunction in Virgo – so he’s not short of drive, confidence and determination. His Moon and Venus are in Libra; and he has a Fixed T Square of Saturn in cool, intellectual Aquarius opposition a Leo leadership North Node square Neptune in Scorpio.

He’s powering confidently ahead at the moment with tr Pluto trine his Jupiter/Node midpoint with a bounce up come May with tr Uranus conjunct his Solar Arc Jupiter. But he’s also got a panicky Solar Arc Neptune opposition his Mars around now as well as Solar Arc Sun Pluto in a stuck square to his Saturn. With some bumps and tensions come June as tr Uranus squares his Saturn. July/August and November to mid December look disastrous in terms of setbacks and bad temper.  He carries his two lucky Jupiter influences into 2020 and they’re joined by another couple as tr Uranus is conjunct his Mars/Jupiter and sextile his Jupiter – and trine his Sun and Pluto from mid 2020 on – which could see his life alter radically. I always thought he had a chance of going to the top.

His relationship with Corbyn is both confused and coolly business-like. There’s a disappointing composite Sun square Neptune; and a teeth-gritted Saturn. Their partnership looks stressed and aggravated from July onwards.

Starmer’s relationship with the Shadow Chancellor John McConnell is, if anything, worse since they would be direct rivals in the event of Corbyn standing down. There’s a controlling, chained-together Pluto square Saturn and Saturn square Sun; with an ego-clash Mars square Neptune. Their relationship is under pressure now and being undermined further from May onwards.

Pic: Chris McAndrew

Princess Beatrice is being seen with a new beau, having seemed a rather forlorn singleton at her sister Eugenie’s wedding. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a property and design magnate in London, has an Italian count father but was educated in the UK and has been part of the young Royal crowd since childhood. After graduating from Edinburgh University, he first worked as a researcher for David Cameron, before founding his property business, Banda, in 2007 – now considered to be one of London’s top developers, with £600 million of homes on its books. He has a son by a former fiancée, the architect and designer Dara Huang, whom he split from when he took up with Beatrice.

He was born 1 November 1983 (net sources) which makes him an intense and serious Sun Saturn Mercury in Scorpio; with a passionately enthusiastic and hard-working Mars Venus (Moon) in Virgo. His Jupiter in Sagittarius opposes a North Node in Gemini squaring onto Mars, making him impulsive and scattered.

His Virgo planets fall on the cusp of Beatrice’s 8^th house so there will be a deep connection; with his Uranus on her Midheaven so he’ll change the direction of her life; and his Jupiter falls in her 10^th so status will be important. It won’t be all sweetness and light since her can-be-autocratic Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius is conjunct his Neptune and square his Venus Mars (Moon). But his Jupiter Uranus in Sagittarius are trine her Leo Sun and her Mars in Aries – so it’s an adventurous combination. Her Venus Moon in Cancer  trine his Scorpio Sun Saturn Mercury which isn’t perfect since he’ll probably overwork and be fairly rigid at times. But the Water resonance will help.

Their relationship chart has a confident, power-couple and enthusiastic composite Jupiter trine Pluto trine Mars – so there’s plenty of high-octane fuel in their connection. Plus perhaps an affectionate composite Venus Moon; with a passionate Venus square Pluto.

She does have her Progressed Moon moving through her 7^th house of close relationships for two years ahead and exactly conjunct her Sun at the moment – so she’s definitely looking for a settled relationship.  And her 5^th house Moon Venus in Cancer will be keen to get on with having children.  Her Solar Arc Jupiter will conjunct her Moon in 2021 which will be an emotional high spot.

In the faint hope of finding a nugget of helpful info in the carnage of Brexit – Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, definitely a soft Brexiteer (if it happens at all) is looking decidedly agitated from mid this month and more so in the first three weeks of May with tr Uranus square his Uranus and then opposition his Mars in Scorpio. He’s also got a scary, trapped and acutely frustrated Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Mars around now or in coming months.

May looks an unpleasant month on various charts as tr Neptune moves to 18 degrees Pisces where it stays till mid August. It certainly looks devastating on Hammond’s relationship chart with Theresa May; and indeed on her relationship chart with Corbyn where it shows up as lies and shattered nerves. And it’s when the TMay Government chart really starts to dissolve into a puff of smoke with tr Neptune square the Full Moon.

Hammond will get his mojo back to a degree from mid this July; though the nerve-stretching and high-voltage jolting of tr Uranus hitting on his natal Uranus Mars continues over the winter into early 2020. Into 2020/2021 he looks more confident and go ahead.

Not sure if that adds anything to the mix.  But certainly a major setback coming for him.