Astrology of Today’s News

Whither Israel? Fighting a war of attrition against Hamas in Gaza which is exhausting its military, damaging the economy, never mind denting its international reputation with thousands of Gazans dead and injured, it is now threatening to take on Hezbollah based in Lebanon. Uttering threats could be seen as a deterrent but a miscalculation could prove disastrous.

Hezbollah is “armed to the teeth, better trained and better equipped than Hamas”  with an estimated 30/50,000 fighters available and a similar number in reserve, plus between 120,000 and 200,000 unguided missiles and rockets, plus attack and reconnaissance drones. Any Israeli attempt at a solution would require “the whole of the IDF’s available forces”, allowing only a limited presence in Gaza and a security presence in the West Bank.

Hezbollah is regarded by Tehran as its forward defence line, the staging post for an attack on Israel should it ever carry out raids on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

  Netanyahu has still not issued any post-war Gaza plans and a military occupation of the Strip is an unattractive option for a variety of reasons. Hamas is depleted but will probably survive as a crime syndicate and guerrilla movement.

   Nothing looks settled or remotely like a solution to Israel’s siege situation with the disruptive tr Uranus crossing the 8^th house Israel Taurus Sun one more time from mid this December to mid March 2025 and then moving to an explosive square to the Israel Mars from June 2025 into 2026. With a discouraging run thereafter of tr Pluto opposition the 10^th house Moon in 2026/27; Solar Arc Neptune eroding confidence as it opposes the Uranus and then is conjunct the financial Jupiter between 2025 and 2028; and a directionless SA MC conjunct Neptune in 2027.

  But what is worrisome in the shorter term is what will happen across July/August this year and on. With this July having an explosive and destructive Mars conjunct Uranus conjunct Algol in Taurus midmonth.

 The Hezbollah chart, 16 February 1985 (if accurate) has tr Uranus opposition the Saturn and square the Sun this August and September, on and off till early 2026 – so will be in a state of high tension with sudden changes. And challenges.

 Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal chart has tr Uranus square his bombastic Mars in Leo from 9^th July into early August, again October and late April early May 2025.  That is when his relationship chart with the Hezbollah ruler Hassan Nasrullah also looks inflamed with tr Uranus square the composite Pluto for a major upheaval.

 The Hezbollah/Israel relationship chart is under a dark cloud this year and next with tr Saturn square the composite Mars and opposition the Uranus Pluto. That chart has a fated yod of Venus opposition Neptune square Chiron – which is being upended particularly this August and again December to March 2025 and on.

  In the midst of all the flux and chaos Netanyahu hangs on. His Government chart, 29 December 2022 4.30pm will be rattled this month, more so in August, with dashed hopes from tr Neptune Saturn moving into Aries from May 2025 onwards. But there is nothing that looks like a definitive finish at least not until 2026.

 His personal chart, birth time being accurate to the minute, has his Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Midheaven by 2026 – but that could come earlier (or later) if the time is out by five minutes or so.

  Gaza is to all intents and purposes destroyed, its people starving, dead and injured, lacking all basic facilities – and sliding down the news agenda since public compassion has a cut off point when no solution is in sight. All a deeply depressing morass.

For previous posts see Israel in Search.

Add On: Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader inside Gaza, 29 October 1962 (wiki) is at higher risk than usual at the moment and on alert in July with the Mars Uranus Algol conjunction opposing his Venus in Scorpio. His relationship charts with Israel and Netanyahu are particularly jolted this month and again in August – and on into 2025.  

  If his birth date is accurate, then 2026 might look to be his moment of greatest jeopardy – but that should be treated with caution.

 Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas Party leader who lives in Qatar, 29 January 1962, is more unsettled with Israel than usual this July and on and off into April 2025. He is looking increasingly pressured and discouraged in 2025/26 with tr Pluto conjunct his Saturn; and devastated around late 2025 from SA Pluto conjunct his Neptune.

  These birth dates could be iffy but on the face of it looks like dragging on and on.

Brexit is one topic which has mysteriously been blanked in the election run up despite well over 50% of voters thinking it has been bad for the economy. Keir Starmer is on record as being against rejoining but economists are clear that going back into the EU single market and customs union would remove some of the obstacles to growth. This week Rachel Reeves, Labour’s shadow chancellor said in an interview “We would look to improve our trading relationship with Europe, and do trade deals around the world.”  EU leaders, beset by their own multifarious problems, are said to be determined not to allow a Starmer government to “cherry pick” its way to a preferential economic relationship without paying into the EU budget and accepting freedom of movement.

 The UK/EU 1957 relationship chart shows both discouragement and resistance initially into early 2025 as well as positive pressure for change with tr Pluto trine the composite Pluto until late 2025. With a more significant realignment from tr Uranus conjunct the Pluto in 2026 and then square the Uranus – though it is by no means certain this would indicate amiable cooperation.

  The UK/Maastricht Treaty relationship hints at much the same of downbeat influences into 2025 along with high-tension, outspoken negotiations.

 The Brexit referendum chart is also showing signs of a radical shift exactly now with a non-Tory government presumably about to take over – as the Solar Arc Pluto closes the square to the Uranus to exact. There will be ructions and aggravation into early 2025; and from 2026 tr Neptune Saturn in Aries will square the Brexit Sun hinting at an undermining of the 2016 vote.

  There does look to be movement in most of the relevant charts hinting at the very least at challenging negotiations on a topic the Tories would never go near.

  Much will hinge on ‘black swan’ global economic hits coming in 2025/26 which will change attitudes. And internal pressures within the EU, with Germany’s economy sagging, France in meltdown and populists getting the upperhand.  

  Seems unlikely but Pluto trine the Pluto on the EU/UK relationship chart might bring a shift of sorts.

Mark Rutte, the former “Teflon” prime minister of the Netherlands for 14 years, adept at ducking scandals, will be the new head of NATO from October 1. He won praise for building a rapport with Donald Trump during his presidency and calming his aggressive outbursts about European defence spending. He is known as an effective consensus builder and has supported Ukraine. NATO is moving into stormier seas with various problems, from lack of money to a lack of air defense systems, and questions about whether Ukraine should be allowed into NATO.  Trump has threatened to cut U.S. aid to Ukraine if he gets back into the White House. His re-election would almost certainly derail NATO’s plan to include Ukraine.

  Mark Rutte, 14 February 1967 6.53pm The Hague, Netherlands, has a surprisingly rebellious, innovative and mould-breaking Uranus Pluto in his 1^st house opposition Saturn in Pisces which is the driving rod of a Water Grand Trine onto Jupiter in his friendly 11^th trine Neptune in his 3^rd/4^th. He will be good in team situations with Jupiter in the 11^th and will be strong-minded and persevering with Saturn opposition Pluto. His hard-working 6^th house Aquarius Sun is in a slippery, evasive square to Neptune.

 He also has two yods – one from Jupiter sextile Uranus inconjunct his Sun making him erratic in exerting his will, wobbling between under and over confidence. And the other is Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune inconjunct his 8^th house Aries Moon, which may be connected to his singular family background. His father was nearly sixty when he was born, an internee in Jakarta during WW11 during which time his first wife died and he later married her sister. Mark Rutte is one of seven siblings from the two marriages. One of his elder brothers died from AIDS in the 1980s.

    Rutte’s Sun falls in NATO’s 4^th so there will be an ‘at-home’ feel about the relationship, though with his Uranus Pluto conjunct the NATO Mercury he will introduce reforms which may cause some disquiet. His ultra-determined Mars in Scorpio sits on the NATO Ascendant which could waken NATO up though may also suggest conflicts and impulsive reactions.

 His personal chart has tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven from mid 2025 onwards (birth time being absolutely accurate) which does suggest a sharp change of direction. Though it could also include this move. At the moment he has two Jupiterian boosts from his SA MC conjunct his Jupiter and his SA Jupiter exactly conjunct his Uranus at the moment. But he will run also into a serious setback later this year with SA Mars square his Saturn; plus a fast-changing, nerve-stretching tr Uranus opposition his Neptune and square his Sun now until mid 2025. It will be a rocky start to a challenging job.

  His relationship chart with NATO also hints at upsets from mid 2025 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Sun and more in 2026/27 with tr Uranus square the composite Pluto.

 The NATO chart itself, 24 August 1949 11.42am Washington, DC, looks rattled at tr Uranus moves into Gemini in 2025/26 since it will square the Virgo Sun; stuck with Solar Arc Sun square Pluto in 2026 for a fight for control; and muddled/indecisive, disappointed in 2026/27 with tr Neptune opposition Venus square Uranus.

 Rutte’s relationship chart with Trump is very unsettled and aggravated with a disruptive tr Uranus conjunct the composite Saturn exactly now and then square the Pluto in 2025; with a disappointed tr Neptune opposition the Mars – one hopes that is Trump’s irritation from the sidelines.  

 The Cancer Ingress which is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere occurred last night with the Cancer Sun close to Venus and Mercury. It is a pot pourri of contradictory influences. Charm from Sun Venus; ruthlessness, risk and frustration from Pluto square Mars; confidence and success from Pluto trine Jupiter; disappointment and confusion from Sun Venus square Neptune; unhappy, discontented populace from Moon square Saturn.  

 I never know how much use these Ingress charts are – but for those who are interested.

 On the astrocartography – north western Canada/Alaska looks favoured. Middle North America looks trapped; the UK is discontented and stuck;  India looks troubled; and New Zealand looks aggravated.  Whether any of that will play out I have no idea.

 Donald Sutherland whose extraordinary range as an actor glided him smoothly from Fellini art house dramas, through Sylvester Stallone prison lockup fare, Jane Austen adaptations to raunchy slapstick, has died. He started with eccentric parts in war films, like the “The Dirty Dozen”,  as Sgt. Oddball in “Kelly’s Heroes” and then his breakout part in “M.A.S.H.”. And continued on to appear in 150 screen roles over five decades, winding his way between art-house and mainstream.  “Klute”, “Animal House”, “Ordinary People”, “Backdraft”, “JFK” “Six Degrees of Separation” and “The Hunger Games”. Described as shape-shifting and chameleon-like he brought a presence to every role he played but always as part of an ensemble.

 His early romantic life was tumultuous with two marriages and divorces, multiple affairs including with Jane Fonda, before he settled with Francine Racette, whom he was married to for more than five decades.

 He was born 17 July 1935 11.30am St John, NB, Canada, and as a child, he had rheumatic fever, hepatitis, and poliomyelitis. He had a challenging, super-determined but fairly tortured Cancer Sun conjunct Pluto square Mars in Libra. He also had a wide innovative Water Grand Trine of Saturn in Pisces (in his 6^th house of health) trine Mercury in Cancer and trine Jupiter in Scorpio  – with a creative Saturn opposition Venus Neptune in Virgo and Jupiter widely opposition an 8^th house Uranus. 

 His Aquarius Moon in his 5^th house on the point of a wide-ish T square to his Jupiter opposition Uranus would direct him towards a career of performing.  His accentuated 8^th house Uranus would give him the ability to play oddball, slightly mad characters – and since it also was conjunct his Sun/Moon midpoint would make committed one-to-one partnerships tricky to maintain.

  A hugely complex personality, multi-talented but not altogether at ease with himself.

 His son Kiefer Sutherland, 21 December 1966 9am London, England, also a talented actor, best known recently for 24 and Designated Survivor, like his father has had a complicated relationship life, and alcohol problems.

  He has a 12^th house Sagittarius Sun on the focal point of a Mutable T Square to an 8^th house Uranus Pluto opposition Saturn so he will be driven by chaotic impulses. His 10^th house creative Neptune is trine his Saturn; and his Aries Moon in in a volatile opposition to Mars and square a charming Venus in Capricorn on his Ascendant.  His Neptune is also square his Sun/Moon midpoint which will give him problems settling down to marital togetherness.

Justin Timberlake, the erstwhile Prince of Pop, hugely influential in his day is having a problem segue-ing through his midlife crisis. His recent album is not selling well, he was arrested a day or so back for driving under the influence and last year Britney Spears fessed him up as persuading her to have an abortion when they were together two decades back.

 Born 31 January 1981 6.30pm Millington, TN, he has a hard-working 6^th house Aquarius Sun trine Jupiter Saturn in Libra; with an ultra-determined Mars in Aquarius trine Pluto, sextile Neptune Moon in Sagittarius  on the cusp of his performing 5^th house.  

  He has a shock-to-the-system tr Uranus square his Mars exactly now and heading to oppose his Uranus in 2025/26 for his midlife crisis. Last year his Solar Arc Sun was square his Moon Neptune for a lacklustre dip. And late this year into early 2025 he will have a major setback from his Solar Arc Mars opposition his Saturn which may be a financial as well as an emotional shock. 

  He will pull out of the mire at some point with tr Jupiter moving him across his 10^th until mid 2025; and tr Saturn moving upwards in his chart – though he’ll have a sticky two or three years after this one. He looks in better form by 2026 into 2027.  But it will take a considerable upheaval and maybe relocation before he gets his head and his act together.

French actress Anouk Aimee, best known for the European cinema classics La Dolce Vita with Mastroianni, Fellini’s 8½ and a Un homme et une femme (A Man and a Woman) with Jean-Louis Trintignant, has died at 92.

 She was nominated for an Oscar and known for “her enigmatic beauty”. “Her look combined the playful seductiveness of Brigitte Bardot, the charming melancholy of Audrey Hepburn and the aloofness of Marlene Dietrich.” In reality she struggled with fame and her lack of ambition held back her career.

 Born 27 April 1932 at 12 noon (birth certificate), Paris, France, with actor parents, she had a 10^th house Taurus Sun square Moon Saturn in Aquarius in her 6^th house and square Jupiter in Leo on her Ascendant. She also had a difficult Mars Uranus in Aries square Pluto in her 12^th, perhaps in part a legacy of her Jewish family who had to change their names to avoid problems.

 She was much married and divorced – four times, the last with UK actor Albert Finney – and had multiple affairs with amongst others Mastroianni, Omar Sharif and Ryan O’Neal.  Latterly she lived alone in Paris with ten cats.

  She would be volatile with Mars Uranus and much affected by the traumas of her youth; with a tendency towards’ mood swings from a strong Jupiter and an equally strong Saturn.  In her day she was more than memorable.

Add On: Albert Finney, 9 May 1936, no birth time, UK, had a notable film career in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Tom Jones, Annie, The Dresser, Miller’s Crossing, Erin Brockovich and the James Bond movie Skyfall. But he was an odd choice for Anouk Aimee having four planets in Taurus including his Sun, Mars, Uranus and Venus – which would be a stubborn combo with her Taurus Sun and Aquarius Moon Saturn. His upbeat Moon Jupiter in Sagittarius did fall in her sociable 5^th house so he would lift her spirits but his Saturn in her 8^th does not suggest intimate bliss. They were together for eight years from 1970 to 1978 and I would imagine that tr Uranus moving into Scorpio in 1975 would be what started it unravelling in a serious way.

  Her 8^th house Pisces North Node was tied into the liaison since tr Pluto was conjunct her South Node when she married him and she was on her Half Nodal Return when they split.

 Taurus are an extremely tactile and indulgent sign since there may have been a sexual buzz, stronger than usual, about the attraction which turned out to be a mistake.

David and Victoria Beckham, the UK’s answer to the Kardashians (almost) are finding their brand image is ricocheting from the upswing of last year’s Netflix documentary boost to a definite downer in a snidey Tom Bower unauthorised biography about the couple, known unkindly as ‘Thin and Thick.’ Reviews suggest it is not one of Bower’s best, merely rehashing old scandals about David’s infidelities and hinting at their opaque tax affairs. But despite constant stories about impending splits they roll on smiling gamely for the cameras. They’ve been married for almost 25 years and together are worth £455 million.

  Whether or not this resurrection of old scandals is likely to undermine their money-making brand and socially ambitious yearnings is what is intriguing reviewers.

  I’ve always wondered about Victoria’s Mars Saturn conjunction in Gemini  – 17 April 1974 10.07 am (unverified) Hereford, which will give her a capacity to absorb punishment and put up with less than ideal situations, almost masochistic – but it is being undermined this year and next by tr Neptune square (backed next year by tr Saturn). She looks rattled but will march valiantly onwards through the end of this year at least. She is a Sun Aries opposition Uranus.

 David, 2 May 1975 6.17am London, is a Taurus Sun with (on this birth time) an uncommitted, evasive Neptune in his 7^th house of relationships. He looks less than thrilled at the moment now into 2025; with his Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Midheaven and Moon plus a disruptive tr Pluto square his Uranus.

  As mentioned in previous post (see October 13 2023) his Chiron is conjunct her Sun which will bring a strong connection. And their relationship chart is a complicated entanglement of two yods – one a stratospherically ambitious one onto a go-ahead Mars Sun; and the other a teeth-gritting Mars sextile Saturn in conjunct Neptune hinting at the fantasy image of happy families they project.

  Composite yods do hint that the pair have a fated connection, not necessarily happy, but one which moulds both their lives significantly.  Their togetherness underwent a serious strain when tr Uranus moved into Taurus in 2019/20 and will face another as tr Pluto squares the composite Venus, Mercury, Sun and Mars between now and 2028.

All a nonsense and hardly important but the astrology is worth absorbing.

Despite suffering a dip in popularity at the recent elections forcing him into a coalition Narendra Modi shows no signs of easing up his totalitarian grip. India’s most famous author Arundhati Roy is to be prosecuted under the controversial new anti-terrorism law over remarks she made in 2010 about Kashmir. In recent years she has become an outspoken critic of Modi’s government and the laws targeting minorities.

  Modi was sworn in as prime minister for a 3^rd Term around 7.30pm on 9 June 2024 which gives a Gemini Sun in a downbeat square to Saturn; a deeply buried financial 8^th house Cancer Moon trine Neptune and possibly most significant a ruthless Mars square Pluto.

  The Mars Pluto hints that the move away from liberal policies is likely to continue though how well it succeeds is open to question.

  Modi’s own personal chart, 17 September 1950 also has a ruthless Mars square Pluto which is being upended by tr Uranus opposition the Mars exactly now and repeating on and off into early 2025. Though he may get an uplift from tr Uranus square his Jupiter after mid 2025. His relationship chart with India  hints at increasing problems for him from 2026 onwards with tr Uranus in Gemini causing upsets.

 Arundhati Roy, 24 November 1961, is a Sun and Mars in outspoken Sagittarius square Pluto Uranus, so has courage, grit and a rebellious spirit. Her Jupiuter in Aquarius  is conjunct Saturn in Capricorn and inconjunct Uranus so she will be adventurous, a risk-taker and humanitarian.

  Her Solar Arc Mars is exactly square her Neptune now for a panicky, undermining moment; with hints of setbacks to her activist campaigning in 2026 with her SA Mercury conjunct her Saturn. 2025/26 look particularly fraught with risk for her with tr Saturn Neptune square her Mars/Saturn midpoint. Then tr Uranus starts to rattle up her Sun Mars square Uranus Pluto for several years – a bumpy road ahead.

 Roy’s relationship with Modi is similarly rattled this year and on till 2026 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Saturn, square the composite Pluto; tr Pluto square the composite Neptune and then tr Uranus opposition the composite Mars. Nothing that will be resolved soon.  

NB. Kashmir does seem to be a peculiarly sensitive subject for India, being one of the unsolved partition muddles after the botched British exit in 1947.

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