Astrology of Today’s News

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.

Early standouts from the first debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary with the first 10 candidates jousting for the eventual prize appear to have been Cory Booker, Julian Castro and Amy Klobuchar.

Julian Castro, 16 September 1974 2.40 am (memory) San Antonio, Texas, is a New Moon in Virgo with a ferociously determined Mars Pluto in Libra. He’ll have highs and lows later this year with a lucky-break Solar Arc Jupiter opposition his Uranus in four months’ time, but also a couple of Neptune sinkers. Into 2020 he has tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter/Neptune midpoint which is generally a no-no for elections – losses, plans not working out.

Cory Booker, 27 April 1969 1.10 am (memory) Washington, DC, is a Sun Taurus conjunct Saturn with a heavyweight Jupiter Pluto plus Uranus and Virgo Moon all in the 8^th – JFK and Merkel had/have full 8^th houses. He’s not looking happy at all through this year with disastrous missteps and failure in October/November. He’ll bounce more enthusiastically from early 2020 onwards.

Amy Klobuchar, 25 May 1960 Plymouth, Minnesota, is a New Moon in Gemini with a confident Jupiter in Capricorn trine Pluto and a disciplined, hard-edged Saturn in Capricorn square Mars in Aries. She has some lift across the New Year and will be pushing confidently in 2020; but she’s got the loss-making tr Pluto conjunct her Mars/Neptune midpoint this year and next as well as the dashed-hopes tr Neptune conjunct her Sun/Jupiter through till late 2020 as well.

Angela Merkel’s health is becoming a cause for concern with her second bout of severe shaking in public in a month. The first was put down to dehydration or heat stress but that doesn’t appear to be the case this time. She is under pressure also in German domestic politics with her coalition under strain after recent elections; and her successor as CDU leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, is being increasingly criticised.

Her chart is certainly showing signs of turmoil. Tr Pluto is square the 10^th house Neptune and opposition the 8^th house Uranus this year and next which will bring confusion, career losses and upheavals. Then 2020/2021 tr Pluto will oppose her Sun which will bring radical changes into her life with maximum pressure.

But really the key factor is tr Saturn moving through her low profile First Quadrant since 2016 and now in the nadir of the second house until early 2022. For many individuals that spells financial hardship, but it has a broader meaning of pulling away from outer ambition to pay more attention to personal matters. If the hint isn’t taken – and she would have been well advised to follow her initial thought of resigning some time back – then there are often physical symptoms of ill health which force a slow-down.

She also has her Solar Arc Neptune conjunct her normally resolute Mars, exact in seven months’ time, which will induce a panicky sense of failure and/or low energy.

Tr Saturn is also square her Midheaven on and off through this year and tr Uranus will be in a jolting opposition to her 10^th house Saturn across the New Year. And as if that wasn’t all enough her Secondary Progressed Moon is going through her 8^th for the next two years plus which is an intense and conflicted time which can feel like being in limbo or purgatory, swinging from extreme to extreme trying to establish a new set of priorities.

Her Solar Return from July 2018 to July 2019 has Pluto in the 6^th house of health opposition Sun which does suggest health pressures. The Solar Return July 2019 to 2020 has low energy Neptune in the 6^th.

She has formidable stamina and determination with her Mars trine Pluto and four planets in the 8^th but even she will run out of steam at some point.

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Ian Duncan Smith has been dragooned into the unenviable task of leading Boris Johnson’s campaign after a stumbling start. IDS, as he is known, a Eurosceptic right-winger, was leader of the Tories in the early 2000s until a vote of no confidence toppled him; and latterly a Cabinet minister under Cameron.

Born 9 April 1954 9.02 pm Edinburgh, Scotland, he’s a Sun Aries opposition Neptune square Uranus Moon in Cancer so a maverick, idealistic but not always sensible, impulsive, de-stabilising.

His Pluto in Leo conjunct his MC from the 9^th gives him strong opinions and it is in highly determined and inspirational Fire Grand Trine to Mars in Sagittarius trine his Sun. That Grand Trine focusses through a Kite onto Neptune in the 12^th which is none-too-practical – so a great many ideas but not always/often a solid end result.

It’ll be an interesting fit with Boris since IDS’s Mars opposes Boris’s Sun Venus in Gemini – so could get very heated. And IDS’s focal point Uranus Moon are on Boris’s midheaven which will certainly bring new ideas to the table from IDS about a radical change of direction. Though whether Boris’s is up for listening is another matter and he could find IDS’s unpredictability outstrips even his own.

The relationship chart is stark, chained-together by circumstance and not exactly easy with a composite Pluto in the 10^th which could lead to power struggles about who controls decisions. Pluto is trine Saturn and sextile Neptune which certainly lends ambition for a substantial project but could prove irksome – especially as evasive, unrealistic Neptune opposes the composite Mercury. Which Mercury is getting a sharp elbow from tr Uranus from July 4^th onwards which is likely to lead to outbursts. Plus there’s also rebellious Uranus in the 10^th so it won’t follow a straight path or be a smooth partnership.

IDS certainly has an extremely loaded relationship with Carrie Symonds with an explosive composite Sun opposition Uranus square Mars, with the Sun in a suspicious, doubt-ridden trine to Saturn Neptune.

He’s also not exactly on the same page as Lynton Crosby who was initially running the campaign – I don’t know whether he’s in or out. But there’s definitely aggravation in there and a nasty sinking feeling at the moment.

IDS looks fairly devastated at the moment with tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Neptune midpoint until July 9^th which Ebertin describes as ‘a tragic illusion or deception’ and ‘suffering’ though he’s pushing ahead with confidence despite that with tr Pluto opposition his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint at the same time. Tr Uranus is conjunct his Venus in Taurus come July 4^th onwards for a few weeks – Uranus is a trickster planet and can go both ways, but given his Venus natally opposes Saturn in Scorpio, it does look like a considerable emotional upset. That’s the point where there may well be an eruption with Boris (see above). Late July he has tr Saturn opposition his Moon for a discouraging dip for a few days.