Astrology of Today’s News

What a relief, the UK has a new PM – a hand on the helm, maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but an experienced presence is better than a vacuum. Theresa May will be anointed sometime on Wednesday afternoon, which is the second relief, that she’s not taking up the reins around that really sticky September Eclipse.

There’ll be a Scorpio Moon; with a Cancer Sun, sextile Jupiter and trine Mars which is confident and positive; Jupiter trine Pluto which is also beneficial. And the Sun opposition Pluto square Uranus, which suggests a fairly crisis-laden term – though may also point to a break from the past since she’s been firm up till now that Brexit means Brexit. Plus Neptune opposition North Node square Saturn which could be wobbly, scattered, cool, self-righteous.

Her relationship chart with Angela Merkel, although a bit comme ci comme ca – friendly and fiery, could be worse. Both have obsessively conscientious Saturn in Scorpio and TM’s Libra Sun is conjunct AM’s MC from the 9^th.

Francois Hollande will flirt with her (can’t help himself) with a friendly Sun Venus composite conjunction; though there’s also an explosive, no compromise Mars opposition Uranus as well, which is similarly on Merkel’s relationship with her.

Jean-Claude Juncker will try power-playing with her and blocking, but she’s made of tough stuff.

The worst relationship chart she has is with Hillary Clinton – a hostile, jealous Pluto opposition Node square Mars; with a disappointing, evasive composite Sun Neptune; and a cool Saturn Venus in a tense square to Uranus.

Her relationship to Barack Obama isn’t that wonderful – a fight for control, but it’s better than BO with Cameron, and he won’t be around too much longer.

The lawsuit of sexual harassment against Roger Ailes, CEO of Fox news, by former presenter Gretchen Carlson, who alleges she was fired when she refused his advances, is turning ugly. There are other women claiming sexual harassment from the past, two of them teenagers at the time, and a tranche of Fox employees and former colleagues who say they never had any such experiences. Fox say she was let go because of falling ratings.

Roger Ailes, 15 May 1940, is a heavyweight personality (and shape) with a Sun Uranus Mercury (and Saturn) in Taurus trine Neptune in Virgo; with Saturn conjunct Jupiter in late Aries square Pluto.

He looks incensed and very argumentative this year with Solar Arc Mercury conjunct his Pluto and tr Pluto trine his Mercury (through 2017 as well). Plus he has an undermining, panicky and bad tempered tr Saturn square tr Neptune hitting on his Solar Arc Mars and Sun/Mars midpoint at the moment and extending into 2017. The next few months look pressured, challenging and trapped. Though with sprinklings of luck and light relief as well.

Gretchen Carlson, 21 June 1966 12 noon (?) Anoka, MN, is a Sun Gemini/Cancer ( exactly on the cusp, though Gemini if 12 noon accurate) in a hard-working and low self-esteem square to Saturn in Pisces; with Mars in journalistic and argumentative Gemini in a challenging square to Uranus Pluto, which will make her acutely reactive to any feeling of being trapped. Her Moon is in Leo; and her Venus in Taurus opposes Neptune.

She doesn’t look too happy in coming months with tr Saturn aiming to oppose her Mars and square her Uranus Pluto in November; and some tough transits to midpoints.

There is as much friendliness in her relationship with Ailes as there are problems. There’s composite Sun Venus and supportive Sun Jupiter conjunctions, linked into workmanlike Saturn and possessive Pluto.  But there’s also a doubt-ridden Saturn Neptune and unsettled Uranus. And an ambitious, though trapped, Saturn trine Pluto sextile Mars. The composite Sun is being undermined this year by tr Saturn opposition and tr Neptune square. With bad feelings intensifying through 2017.

Ailes’ relationship with Fox News (7 Oct 1996) shows major insecurity and upset through this December into early 2017.

Gretchen Carlson’s relationship with Fox News always was quite sticky, mirroring her own chart, with a composite Mars (Venus) square Pluto and trine composite Uranus; and a heady but potentially disappointing composite Sun trine Neptune. She won’t have an easy time ahead with tr Neptune opposing her Uranus Pluto and square her Mars in 2018/19.

Taking on an enterprise the size of Fox News is either gutsy or very foolhardy. Even if she wins, she may find herself very battered by the process.

Micah Johnson, the army veteran who shot and killed five Dallas police officers in a seeming protest against white people, and was killed himself, was born 2 July 1991.

He was a Sun Cancer opposition a rebellious and highly strung Uranus Neptune conjunction in Capricorn, and trine Pluto. He had a flamboyant and passionate Venus Mars and Jupiter in Leo all in an intense, angry and over-confident square to Pluto in Scorpio. His Pisces Moon may have been in a Water Grand Trine to Sun and Pluto, making him doubly intense and overly emotional.

He had served in Afghanistan but was discharged in confused circumstances after allegations of sexual harassment, with the victim saying he needed help with mental problems.

He’d certainly have been very rattled and confused, not thinking straight,  in recent years with the tr Pluto square tr Uranus in hard aspect to his Sun Uranus Neptune since 2013.  That was coming to an end later this year with tr Pluto conjunct Neptune returning for a final two hits. He also had Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Saturn, probably early in 2016 stoking up his tension levels. Plus a highly frustrating tr Pluto trine his Solar Arc Mars, exact at the moment. The tr Saturn square tr Neptune were also possibly hitting on his Pisces Moon.

So the astrology was coming at him from all sides, rocking his already unstable psyche.

Please post below, on anything and eveything ………………..

Why was Tony Blair so hell bent on backing GWB no matter what and launching the Iraq war with no legal or international sanction? For all his socialist credentials and faux charm, he was fond of wielding the military as a weapon of foreign policy. His Labour Government from 1997 was one of the most warlike of modern world governments, with five military interventions during his time.

There are several factors in his chart – one is a focal point Uranus which believes in direct action to upset the status quo, added onto a Saturn Neptune which is fervent about creating a better world, with Neptune in a fanatical square to Uranus, which is prone to misjudgements – rationality flies out of the window. Plus an ego-centric and hugely stubborn focal point Taurus Sun. And all of that is channelled through what is probably the key in his chart which is the ‘holy warrior’ Mars Jupiter on his Ascendant.

Mars is assertive and Jupiter wraps up the Martian aggression in high ideals, which are often a cosmetic to provide a justification for acting out raw anger. Interestingly Mars Jupiter is also a financial adventurer.

Where you find individuals clinging onto clearly irrational ideas, you also often find Uranus Neptune around – and his Mars does aspect his Uranus/Neptune midpoint.

His Mars/Jupiter midpoint is also conjunct the fixed star Mirfak in the constellation of Perseus, the warrior, ‘Mirfak is a star of great energy and fearlessness. It can make you dive into action without considering your options and thus it may make you rash or unwise. Here is an influence that will encourage you to take on anything new and exciting, however you may overestimate your limits or abilities.’

His relationship chart with the USA 1776 also has a composite Sun Jupiter Mars Mercury conjunction and a very Airy chart, so communication with the USA stoked his fervour and the US loved his articulacy.

TB’s Harmonics are interesting. His get-it-together 5^th Harmonic is immensely strong. This can suggest a resourceful personality but also points to an ability/need to impose his vision on the world around him. He not only creates himself, he wishes through sheer will power to mould others into a creation of his own design.

All of his strong Harmonics have Mars aspected, especially his can-be-manic 7H; his self-destruct 10H; his actor’s 15H; and leadership 22H. The 10^th Harmonic – stands for prosperity and abundance, it also contains the seed of both rise and fall, of the good and the bad.

His 5H and 10H also have the fanatical Uranus Neptune; and his 22H has the megalomaniac Neptune Pluto.

Other odd thoughts. His North Node in Aquarius (= passion for a cause) is exactly opposite the USA 1776 Leo Node. So 9/11, when tr Neptune was opposition the USA Leo Node causing them to feel their leadership status was being undermined, it was also conjunct his Aquarius Node, so firing up his saving-the-world vision.

When the Iraq War was launched the tr North Node was conjunct his Mars/Jupiter midpoint, and his Solar Arc Uranus was square his Mars/Jupiter. Plus in the run up, tr Uranus was square his Jupiter and tr Neptune conjunct his 10^th house Moon. So you get this repeating theme of his adventuring, gung-ho Mars Jupiter – which in the spirit of any gambler, always harbours a crazy optimism for any reckless leap. Plus a messianic Neptune.

He is undoubtedly an interesting man but the mix of a gigantic ego (I’m never wrong) and extraordinary obstinacy, coupled with a mission to put himself centre stage in his true-humanitarian frock was always going to come unstuck at some point.

The ancient Greeks called it hubris – foolish pride and over-confidence that leads to a downfall. It often involves ‘a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one’s own competence, accomplishments or capabilities. Contrary to common expectations, hubris is not necessarily associated with high self-esteem but with highly fluctuating or variable self-esteem, and a gap between inflated self-perception and a more modest reality.’ That is an interesting thought since it explains why he can never admit to being wrong – it would completely crush him.

Roman commanders used to have s slave who stayed at their side murmuring ‘Memento homo’ – remember you are only a man, to remind the overlord not to lose a sense of proportion. Since Blair increasingly thought his main conversation should be with God who’d give him the right answers, he fell into what the Jungians call identifying with the archetype, which way leads to madness.

To Alex who asked the horary question – I’m not well up in what is a specialist astrological technique.  But on the time you gave (5.26am London, 9 July 2016)  there is a Yod from a Mars sextile Jupiter onto a 10^th house Uranus – so a fated set of events from the Yod, that changed the course of (many) lives and certainly TB’s career, stemming from an adventurous/reckless decision.

The next UK PM will be chosen in early September by ballot of 150,000 genteel, mainly elderly Tory Party members, which is another inanity of the political system. (Unless the process is speeded up, for which there is growing pressure.)

Angela Leadsom, having emerged out of obscurity in the Leave campaign, is exuding confidence. Though she’s tripping over questions about exaggerated claims in her CV vis a vis her previous finance City experience, her unpublished tax returns with a hint of off-shore tax dealings in the past, and mis-steps in her comments on Theresa May’s childlessness. As well as her lack of political experience at a high level.

Born 13 May 1963, she had an incredibly Fixed chart with a Taurus Sun (Mercury) in a Grand Cross in opposition to Neptune square Saturn in Aquarius opposition Mars in Leo. So definitely enduring and stubborn to the nth degree; hard and maybe unsympathetic with Fixed Mars Saturn, determined religious views with Neptune. She’s also got a hard-working Capricorn Moon trine Pluto (conjunct Uranus) in Virgo. Her Pluto is quincunx Jupiter in pro-active Aries, so not short of confidence though could have a tendency to cut corners and think rules don’t apply to her.

It’s not a chart I warm to, but she does have a strong, dominating and get-it-together 5^th Harmonic, a memorable 17H, and a leadership 22H; and also a self-destruct 10H.

There’s the usual mixed bag of influences (with no birth time) – a stuck tr Saturn square Pluto through August, though tr Jupiter is trine her Mercury and conjunct her Solar Arc Jupiter in the first few days of September which is mildly upbeat. Plus tr Uranus conjunct her Venus in Aries from Sept 3 which could go either way – an emotional shock or great opportunity. Though even if she loses she’s likely to get a senior Cabinet position.

Her relationship chart with the UK has equal amounts of affection and doubt; with a distrust of her pushiness.  With the Conservative Party, there’s an awkward, stuck-together and resenting it composite T square of Saturn opposition Pluto square Mars and an ambivalent Venus Uranus.

Theresa May, 1 Oct 1956, who is the overwhelming favourite amongst Tory MPs, is a Libra Sun with Jupiter Mercury in Virgo, with Jupiter opposition Mars, and a tough Saturn in Scorpio square Pluto Venus in Leo. Her Mars is a singleton so she can be erratic when asserting herself and take chances, despite her reputation for steadiness.

In general this is a good year for her with tr Pluto trine her Jupiter, though it doesn’t return till next Jan and runs on through 2017. What will sink her next year is an ominous tr Neptune conjunct her Mars, which tr Saturn squares this Oct. So if she does become PM, it’s not going to be a fun or successful run for several years as tr Neptune moves on to square her Mars/Jupiter midpoint and then oppose her Jupiter.

Like Leadsom, she has tr Jupiter conjunct her Mercury in the first few days of September as well as tr Uranus opposing Jupiter/Node, though both have disappeared by the 9^th. From Sept 3^rd she has tr Uranus opposition her Jupiter/Saturn which can bring career losses or a change of residence and irritability through that.

Her relationship chart with the UK has a Mars opposition Saturn, so not unalloyed affection, more gritted teeth, though there is a friendly Sun Venus square Jupiter, which is well aspected by tr Uranus in September.  A composite Uranus square Pluto does suggest she might be the person to step in during a time of major upheaval.

Her relationship chart with the Tory Party, is odd – a Uranus opposition Neptune Mars square Node Sun, with Uranus trine Saturn – rather explosive and more so over the next two to three years, highly strung, very see-saw. Though the Saturn trine Uranus will be helpful again through a time of transition – best of the old merged with the best of the new.

Former Wimbledon champion, Marion Bartoli has spoken out after being accused of suffering from an eating disorder. She has lost 5 stone (30kg) since her 2013 win and was refused permission to play an invitation doubles on medical advice. She says she contracted a mystery virus, she thinks in India, which doctors cannot identify and it has left her unable to eat anything other than organic salad leaves and made her hypersensitive to tap water and electrical devices. She fears she may not survive unless they can find a remedy.

She was born 2 October 1984 9.15pm Le Puy, France, and has a 5^th house Sun Mercury in Libra with Venus Pluto in Scorpio also there, so definitely a performer She also has Saturn in her 6^th house of health and tr Saturn has been moving through her 6^th since 2014. Tr Pluto has also been sextile her Saturn which is heavy going for the past eighteen months.

Her Secondary Progressed Mars was conjunct her 8^th house Capricorn Moon earlier this year which also wouldn’t help.

Hopefully tr Saturn moving out of her 6^th by later this year will help to lift the strain off her health. Though she does have stressful Solar Arcs for the next three years which may slow down her activities.

There’s pressure from Angela Merkel’s party for Martin Schulz, a German MEP and President of the European Parliament (EP) to stand down in January, but there’s a feeling he may refuse. He’s another hardliner, buddies with Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, and both pro-more integration. There was criticism from Germany that the UK Brexit vote was a result of the attitudes of EU institution leaders. Getting rid of Schulz it is thought would be a forerunner to removing Juncker as well.  And good luck with that.

Schulz, 20 Dec 1955, is a Sun Sagittarius, like Juncker and both have Saturn in obsessive Scorpio. Schulz, if anything, is more intransigent than Juncker since his Sun is trine a powerfully confident Pluto Jupiter, which latter is also square Saturn; and he has vengeful Mars in Scorpio as well.

His 2^nd Term chart, 1 July 2014 launched on the Cardinal Grand Cross of Sun opposition Pluto square Uranus opposition Mars, so was always going to be a high-drama run. There will certainly be a major impasse and some explosive discussions in December, running into 2017.

Schulz’s relationship chart with the EU is locked-together, over-confident and veering towards the fanatical with a composite Saturn square Pluto, Sun square Jupiter and Uranus opposition Venus square Neptune.

His relationship with Merkel is heavy going over the next few months and high-wire through 2017.

New Zealand is facing a raft of domestic discontent with economic woes top of the list – the rich poor gap, unemployment, housing shortages amongst others as well as environmental issues.

The 17 January 1853 12am chart does have tr Saturn moving through the financial 2^nd till 2018 which would indicate shortage of personal spending power. This year tr Uranus squares the Cancer Midheaven which would suggest a significant change in direction for the country.

The really key influences which are major, running from 2015 to 2022, suggest that the groundswell of public opinion or outer events will push the country into a bumpy few years of radical change and jolts.

Tr Uranus which has been conjunct the 6^th house Aries Moon recently, is moving on to square the NZ Sun Mars in Capricorn in 2017 at the same time as tr Pluto starts a two year square to the Moon. So some shocks, upheavals, insecurity and an emotionally intense population (Moon), which is keen to sweep away the rubbish of the past.

There may be outright rebellion or a radical shift in 2018 as tr Uranus squares the 6^th house Pluto. There will be a small bounce in 2018 from tr Jupiter crossing the Ascendant, to promote a more confident image for the country.

Tr Pluto will oppose the MC and move into the 4^th from 2020 bringing a sense of domestic resentment and change, again a pulling away from the past and perhaps a divided population. The sweep of radical change will run on till 2022 when tr Uranus clears the conjunction to Uranus Saturn in Taurus.  The Uranus Return in 2019/20 may bring a movement to return NZ to its roots.

The NZ government were the first to step in after the Brexit vote to offer the help of NZ trade negotiators.

Tr Uranus has moved a complete half cycle since the UK joined the EEC in 1973 which caused considerable upset in New Zealand. In the aftermath NZ went through a similarly unsettled few years with tr Uranus then in Libra square the NZ Sun Mars and opposition Pluto. Though what lies ahead till 2022 will be more testing since tr Pluto is also involved.

This time round with UK reversing out of the EU, it could open up new possibilities for both countries. Though there’ll be confusion through this Oct/Nov – and more of an attempt in 2017/18 to alter diplomatic and other relationships.

The principal fault (from a UK perspective) in an unnecessary, disastrous and potentially illegal war in Iraq, came about because of Tony Blair’s misguided and personal commitment to George W Bush. That’s Chilcot’s damning conclusion.

What’s interesting is that GWB’s Cancer Sun is conjunct Blair’s focal point Uranus – so he was the catalyst for the events that wrecked Blair’s life and legacy. (And a good many other people’s as well, but the Iraq attack would have gone ahead anyway with or without Blair’s support.) GWB’s gung-ho Aries Midheaven is also conjunct TB’s Mercury and opposition TB’s Saturn Neptune; and GWB’s Saturn in Cancer is in square to both ends of that opposition – so hooking into the other legs of TB’s Cardinal T Square, and not in a positive way.

Their relationship chart does have a friendly/affectionate composite Sun Mercury Venus opposition Moon which is sextile/trine a powerfully confident Jupiter Pluto; though also, noticeably, square Saturn.

This was always going to be a high-crisis time in Blair’s life since his two T squares have collided. His Fixed T Square of Aquarius Moon opposition Pluto square a Taurus Sun has moved by Solar Arc to have Solar Arc Sun conjunct his natal Uranus and Solar Arc Pluto to conjunct his Saturn Neptune. So tremendous pressures and challenges.

TB looks gaunt and distraught at the moment, years older. With tr Uranus square his Mercury/Saturn and Mercury/Neptune midpoints exactly now, he’ll be depressed and confused. None of that will lift quickly since he’s aiming for a nervy, jolting tr Uranus opposition his Neptune Saturn again early in 2017; with a stuck, discouraging Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Saturn, exact just after mid 2017; and then a devastating tr Pluto square Neptune Saturn 2018 to 2020. Almost too much to bear.

His increasingly semi-detached marriage to Cherie is also moving into its trickiest phase for a long while. It’s a curious relationship anyway with a needs-space composite Sun Uranus opposition Venus square a cool, overly hard-working Saturn and disappointing Neptune; and two strained Yods onto Mars and Venus. That chart is being bounced around in all directions over the next two or three years.