Astrology of Today’s News

Lest you’re suffering Trump withdrawal symptoms, now that everyone has got bored with same as same as/mine’s bigger than yours, there’s going to be renewed excitement with the publication next week of Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. Leaks to date suggest that Steve Bannon is getting his vengeful boot in describing Don Jnrs’ June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower as treasonous.

Letting Bannon go was always a risk (better inside p***ing out, than outside p***ing in) and he’s making the most of it, pouring venom over Don Jnr and Ivanka/Jared. Relationship charts with all three have a tumultuous composite Sun square Uranus Pluto which is adept at collapsing structures, turning everything upside down and generally creating havoc. Ivanka especially since in her and SB’s case a vicious Mars is added into the mix. And on cue, both Jared and Don Jnr’s relationship with Bannon is taking a sharp dip this month with tr Neptune square the composite Mars, causing panic. With Jared ploughing through very heavy seas vis a vis Bannon come mid March onwards. Jared does, of course have tr Pluto grinding its way across his Sun from next month on and off till late 2019.

Himself, the overlord, is certainly not enchanted with Bannon this month with tr Neptune returning to oppose their composite Mercury, moving on to oppose the composite Sun Saturn from early March, so relations can only deteriorate.

Just to add to the madhouse mood, the Foreign Policy team (is there one?) are evidently at each other’s throats with National Security adviser HR McMaster and Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State, warring constantly. That is hardly surprising since their relationship chart has a hostile, power-struggling Mars Pluto square Sun – and that was never going to work. It’ll come to a head by mid April, if Tillerson stays around. Not that Donald Trump finds McMaster an easy bed-fellow with a composite Mars Uranus square Neptune as their chemistry, which was at boiling point in December and again through this year.

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Ahmed Tamimi is a 16 year old Palestinian girl who was arrested for slapping an Israeli soldier (in full protective battle kit) after he and his colleagues had parked on her family’s land, fired a rubber bullet into her 14 year old cousin’s face and fired tear gas into their house. She is described as ‘a risk’ to Israel, has been held in isolation and denied access to her parents during interrogation.

She comes from a family who have been engaged in active resistance to Israel’s occupation. From 2013 onwards, they have staged regular demonstrations against the military and the nearby settlers who have taken over their lands and water spring. The protests are met with tear gas, rubber bullets, skunk water and live ammunition. In 2012, Ahed’s father was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. In 2013, her uncle was killed by a tear gas canister shot to the head. In 2014, her mother was almost permanently disabled when she was shot in the leg. In 2015, a video of Ahed preventing her younger brother from being arrested went viral. Her cousins and her older brother have spent time in Israeli prisons.

She’s a feisty and charming Sun Venus in Aries sextile Neptune in Aquarius on one side and Jupiter in Gemini on the other – so pro-active and idealistic. She’s also got an angry, frustrated Mars Pluto in Sagittarius; and a fairly autocratic Saturn in stubborn Taurus square Uranus. Not one, even at her young age, to be compliant to the transgressing occupiers.

Her Saturn is conjunct the Israel Taurus Sun and squares the Israel Mars in Leo with her Uranus in opposition to the Israel Mars so it’s an inflammatory and unyielding combination. The relationship chart has a bleak, chained-together Saturn (Moon) square Pluto; and an explosive composite Mars opposition Uranus.

When will the Israelis ever learn that you cannot take people’s land, force them to live without electricity, food, water and medical care at times and then expect them to come up smiling sweetly and saying ‘yes sir.’  They should be hanging their heads in shame, except they won’t.

Paris ‘famous for being famous’ Hilton, American socialite, model, singer, actress, own-brand promoter and media celeb, has ventured for the third time into betrothal. Twice promised before, never married. She’s the great granddaughter of the Hilton Hotels founder and has been a regular tabloid headline since her teens, with a sex-tape scandal, a DUI charge, jail time for driving over the speed limit on a suspended licence, arrested for cannabis possession, and making derogatory comments about gays.

Born 17 February 1981 at 2.30am (rectified) New York, she’s a freewheeling Sun Mercury and Venus in Aquarius with a flamboyant Leo Moon. She has a Yod of Mars in Pisces in the 3^rd (drives too fast) inconjunct Moon sextile Saturn Jupiter in Libra in her 10^th – which will make her reckless and self-willed as well as self-defeating. Jupiter in her 10^th guarantees her luck in her career and social standing; Saturn should make her a good organiser.

Whether this hitching on a pricey $2 million engagement sparkler, will work out any better than her previous attempts is questionable.

Actor Chris Zylka, 9 May 1985, whom she’s been walking out for two years, is a minorly successful actor from a Ukrainian family. He’s a Sun Taurus opposition Saturn in Scorpio, so determined and stubborn; with a hard-working Capricorn Moon and Venus in upfront Aries. His Saturn is conjunct her Uranus so there will be tensions from differing lifestyle choices – she wildly rebellious; he more focussed on practicalities. His Pluto is also square her Moon which will be cosily close initially but could turn possessive. His Jupiter is conjunct her Venus and his Venus is opposition her Jupiter – so great for superficial frivolity and indulgence but less so for the nitty gritty of even a super-wealthy everyday life. She’s an Air Sun, Fire Moon, so flies around in a hot-air balloon; while he’s a more grounded Earth Sun and Moon. Opposites can attract but often don’t stay the course.

Their relationship chart has an adventurous composite Sun trine Uranus Jupiter which will provide excitement and high jinks; though the composite Venus square Uranus Jupiter hints at a switch-on, switch-off emotional attachment. Worse there’s a power-struggling (and could turn bitter) composite Mars opposition Pluto. The composite Moon may be conjunct either Pluto or Saturn, or both, which is a touch bleak. It’ll catch a draught before late 2018 with tr Saturn square the composite Sun; and be seriously aggravated in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto square the composite Mars. Though even before then from April 2018 onwards it looks to be getting progressively rockier. Not even a happy-ever-after fairytale romance to cheer the USA up.

Protests in Iran are gaining a surprise momentum, driven largely by poor workers, in contrast to the 2009 demonstrations by educated liberals. What started as economic gripes against the President Rouhani’s policies has turned into vociferous criticism of the ruling clerics, corruption amongst the elite and the monies being spent on foreign incursions in Syria, Iraq and Yemen with Hezbollah’s help from the Lebanon.

Iran’s pro-active foreign policy is being driven by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) who answer directly to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not the President. They were set up after 1979 revolution to defend the country’s Islamic system and to provide a counterweight to the regular armed forces. Over the years they have built up a sprawling business empire in oil, gas, telecoms and construction which President Rouhani is attempting to curb in order to revitalise and rebalance the economy.

Established on 5 May 1979, they have an acquisitive Taurus Sun in a no-compromise opposition to Uranus; plus an entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine, focussed onto a Kite with Mars Mercury Venus in Aries opposition Pluto giving them not only high ambition but also a ruthless edge. They are looking increasingly hemmed in from early 2018 for two years with tr Pluto square the Mars Mercury. If their power is curtailed then it will have a significant impact on the Ayatollah’s position and power.

Amongst ‘black swan’ events being forecast for 2018 is that Poland might bale from the EU, given the fraught collision between Brussels and the Polish government over judicial meddling. Relations will certainly move from the high-temper of the moment to complete upheaval from late March. Tr Uranus opposes the composite Mars at the moment and tr Pluto begins a two year square to the composite Uranus in March. There is a slight possibility of a complete rupture come 2019 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Sun then. Though given that Germany is Poland’s largest market it would be a self-destructive move.

The EU is moving into the great unknown this year having to carve out a budget without the UK contribution in future years, which means cutting spending and landing ever heavier demands on the net contributors – France, Germany, Italy and Spain. With Merkel’s popularity continuing to slide and her successors being openly discussed, there may be even less willingness from Germany to dole out more cash.

It was always the intriguing question of what Germany’s relationship to the EU would be especially through 2019 into 2020. At that point on their relationship chart, tr Saturn will be in opposition the composite Pluto and conjunct the Sun (late Dec 2018) and then conjunct Mercury which will certainly douse cold water on good feelings; with tr Uranus from this July starting to seriously rattle the composite Grand Cross of Venus opposition Uranus square Mars opposition Moon. And that will create a serious amount of disruption for three years. Given the history of the EU (founded to prevent another European war) the relationship was always tightly bound together. That’s certainly reflected in the chart with a composite Earth Grand Trine, focussed onto a Kite by Sun opposition Pluto – making Pluto in the 10^th the driving planet. It would take a seismic upheaval for it to part. But without Merkel, all bets are off as to what comes after her.

It is just possible that instead of Macron’s grand idea of closer federation that the EU becomes two-speed, with a looser outer core of the eastern European countries perhaps following a UK model (if it gets agreed) with access but not bound by Brussels rules and regulations. But Macron himself looks deflated, his hopes dented, with tr Neptune square the Mars on his presidency chart from April onwards.  Interesting times ahead.

Lorde, the young New Zealand singer/songwriter, whose music has been a crossover hit around the globe is under fire for boycotting a scheduled concert in Israel. She was urged to cancel by pro-Palestinian groups citing Israel’s human rights abuses. An outspoken rabbi took out a full-page advert in the Washington Post condemning her as a Jew-hater, like, he said, the NZ government, which had backed UN condemnations of Israel and its treatment of Palestinians.

Her music is dream pop, with themes of heartbreak and solitude; she collaborated on the soundtrack for Hunger Games and has won multiple awards. Born 7 November 1996 10am Takapuna, NZ, she’s an intense Sun Mercury in Scorpio sextile Jupiter in ambitious Capricorn; with an ultra-determined and angry Mars in Virgo square Pluto. Her Moon is also in Virgo in a creative trine to musical Neptune and innovative Uranus. She also has Saturn in self-reliant Aries trine Pluto, sextile Uranus – so tough-minded as well as experimental.

Her Scorpio Sun Mercury are square Israel’s bleak and controlling Saturn Pluto, so no surprises she reacted. Though she’s criticised for continuing with plans to tour Russia.

Her musical 7^th harmonic is strong with pulling together the Sun and Moon and linking them to Venus Pluto and Saturn.

I do wish the pro-Israeli lobby would stop conflating criticism of successive Israeli government policies with anti-semitism. It’s not only grossly insulting, it’s also bullying and manipulative. The terrible persecution the Jewish people have suffered through no fault of their own over centuries does not make them immune from comment when they cause harm.

There’s a supermoon in the early hours of tomorrow morning (UT) in Cancer, which will appear larger than usual because the Moon’s cycle brings it closer to the earth than usual. This early January Full Moon was known by early Native American tribes as the “Wolf Moon”. Hungry wolves would howl outside their camps in the direction of the moon. A howl aimed upwards carries the sound farther.

Unusually this month there will be two Full Moons, the second on the 31^st known as a blue moon, will also be super-sized and a Lunar Eclipse. Most of North America, Asia and Australia, will see the total lunar eclipse which causes it to appear red in the sky. So a red blue moon just to be confusing.

This first one tomorrow at 2.34am UT January 2^nd at 11 degrees Cancer/Capricorn will be opposition Venus and Pluto in Capricorn; and in a Water Grand Trine to Mars Jupiter in Scorpio trine Neptune. Quite a complicated set of influences – dynamically confident from Mars Jupiter, though requiring considerable effort to forge ahead because of Pluto. Emotionally intense, seductively charming, passionately enthusiastic, self-protective. The Sun, Moon and Venus all aspect the bleak Saturn/Pluto midpoint. The North Node, Saturn, Uranus, Mars all aspect the mystical and supernaturally-inclined Neptune/Pluto midpoint; and Uranus aspects the accident-prone Mars/Saturn.

The Total Lunar Eclipse on the 31^st sees the 11 degree Leo Moon opposition Sun Venus in Aquarius and is inconjunct Neptune – so milder from the aspects – indulgent, charming, dreamy. But the Eclipse will still have an effect on individuals/Countries whose charts it impacts. For them it hints at a need for change and rebalancing in some arena of their lives.

Frances McDormand is about to delight in another of her trenchant performances in the upcoming Three Billboards, described by the Times as ‘angry, funny, foul-mouthed, prone to startling acts of violence’. She is that rarity, a character actress who can be a starring lead. Her long career is littered with awards, but most memorable recently was her role as Marge Gunderson in Fargo and Olive Kitteridge in the HBO mini-series.

Born 23 June 1957 in Chicago, Illinois, she was adopted aged one, from a mother she once described as ‘white trash’, by a travelling pastor so had an unsettled though rigid childhood against which she rebelled by becoming pagan. Since 1984 she’s been married to Joel Coen of the talented film-making duo the Coen Brothers and they have an adopted son initially from Paraguay.

She’s a Sun Cancer with a Taurus Moon, so is family-oriented as well as creative. Her Sun is sextile Pluto and trine filmic Neptune and as well as being square Jupiter, so she’s got confidence and persuasive power. A volatile Mars Uranus in flamboyant Leo, which may square her Moon, gives her a fiery streak.

Her ‘acting’ 15^th Harmonic is well-aspected and favours tough and at times unstable roles, linking together Mars Saturn Neptune and Uranus. Her victim/healer 12^th harmonic is also well marked and she’s done well to survive her difficult beginnings to thrive both personally and professionally.

“Death to the Dictator” isn’t a demo slogan that’s lightly spoken in Iran, as police and internet clampdowns are proving. An upsurge of popular dissent not seen since 2009 against economic hardships, corruption and, most significantly, the clerics’ iron grip has brought people out onto the streets in several cities.

The Ayatollah Khamenei has been at the helm since 1989 and his leadership chart does show signs of flagging with tr Neptune square the Gemini Sun in 2017/2018. Since the Sun sits on the focal point of a Yod to a tough Pluto sextile Saturn, any undermining of the Sun’s power will have a ripple effect. Tr Neptune will also square the Sun/Jupiter midpoint in 2018 and then Jupiter in 2019 – so it will see a less successful and less rigid three years ahead. There have been signs of the reins loosening with women no longer being charged for not wearing headscarves in Teheran. More will no doubt follow. If this Supreme Leadership continues and accounts vary about Khamenei’s health, 2019/2020 will be high-risk, exceptionally challenging and trapped with tr Pluto opposition the Mars.

Both the Iran 1906 and 1 Feb 1979 charts hints at tensions, low morale, significant problems especially in early 2018, with hints of radical changes. There’s unlikely to be a full-blown revolution. But the winds of change won’t stop blowing Iran onto a different track.

Hassan Rouhani’s term chart, 3 August 2017 11am, will hit crisis from the Lunar Eclipses in late January and late July 28; and the Ayatollah Khamenei’s Supreme Leadership chart will meet with a considerable collision come the July 2018 Cancer Solar Eclipse conjunct the Mars.