Astrology of Today’s News

Barack and Michelle Obama have choppered off to a few days sunshine in Palm Springs before returning to Washington for their younger daughter’s final two years at school. They made the handover in typically gracious style, earning plaudits from Trump, which must have been hard given his contemptuous and relentless birther campaign when they first moved into the White House; and in the knowledge that he’s about to take an axe to Obama’s legacy.

It was more of a shock to Michelle who has her Solar Arc Uranus square her Mars in Aquarius; and if her birth time of 1.56am is sound her Progressed Moon is also conjunct her Mars – so she’ll be fuming fit to bust. Obama himself, ever phlegmatic, looks less ruffled immediately, though he’s clearly changing his plans to become more active at grassroots level in the Democratic Party; and will undoubtedly speak out if Trump gets too egregiously unpleasant and damaging.

Obama has the hard-working tr Saturn in his upper quadrant until 2023, which is his peak, so he’ll be consolidating his life’s work in some way and gaining respect. Tr Jupiter through his 9^th from later this year for a year could see him travelling further afield more extensively and getting his vision across. His Progressed Moon is going through his 4^th for a few more months which is generally quieter, home oriented, and then it moves into his 5^th for a more sociable, outgoing two or three years. Then late 2018 for the next year he’s got tr Jupiter through his 10^th which will be successful, with appreciation and recognition coming his way.

But for all that he looks fairly trapped with tr Pluto moving now into his 12^th to stay there for many years ahead, although it could also see him pulling strings effectively behind the scenes. His everyday schedule will speed up considerably from 2018 onwards with tr Uranus moving into his 3^rd and he may become more outspoken in the years thereafter.

It won’t be easy for him this year with tr Saturn square his 8^th house Mars in October and a jolting tr Uranus square his Saturn from late April this year, on and off till early 2018; plus a sinking tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Pluto mid point from April, on and off till late 2018. So he will have some bad moments.

What he has managed to achieve in his life is extraordinary given the milieu in which he chose to operate, despite his failings. He does have a strong get-it-together 5^th Harmonic; but his most marked is his 11^th which speaks of an obsessive dream and the determined need to live it out. His 22^nd super-star is also marked.

Michelle looks jangled, argumentative and undermined with tr Uranus square her Capricorn Sun from June onwards for a year; tr Pluto conjunct her Mercury/Mars from Feb for two years (and that is angry); plus tr Neptune opposing her Pluto. She may take till 2018 to get into enthusiasm back.

The deed is done, the die is cast and the USA (and the world) stand on a new frontier.

Exactly at noon 20^th January 2017 Donald Trump swore the oath of office. There isn’t the same enthusiastic Sun Jupiter in the 10^th as there was for Obama’s first term; but nor is it as difficult a chart as GW Bush’s muddled, explosively aggressive and dirty-dealing first term. Nor at all like Richard Nixon’s, for anyone hoping for an impeachment.

There’s a 12^th house Uranus opposition a 6^th house Jupiter which on the one hand could be adventurous in seeking remedies for employment which is his stump and inaugural promise; though it also points to underground rebel movements who don’t share his philosophy of life. That opposition squares onto Pluto in the 9^th which tends to be control-freaky, suggests high-tension foreign relations which will certainly be the case if he goes all-out protectionist. But could also indicate rolling legal actions which are not unlikely; as well as a push to reform education; and maintain a firm grip on communications.

There are two ‘wedges’ as well, which are difficult to balance. Uranus opposition Jupiter trine/sextile an 8^th house Saturn in know-it-all Sagittarius – shortage of money may get in the way of grandiose schemes; and Saturn is highly resistant to change in the 8^th.

The Virgo North Node opposes Neptune and is trine/sextile Mercury in Capricorn. The North Node in the 5^th is head-in-the-clouds, a dreamer and a fantasist, impractical. There is a need to let go castles-in-the-sky and get realistic about what it is possible to create. This is especially true given the Neptune opposition and Pisces on the South Node which will exacerbate the tendency to escapism and daydreaming. To work well this Node must work in a spirit of service to others. Neptune is also trine the Scorpio Moon and the Moon squares the Mars/Saturn midpoint as well as being in minor aspect to Mars and Saturn = discontented, unhappy, mistreated women; perhaps also points to the repeal of Obamacare since the Moon falls in the 6^th and is afflicted.

Neptune Venus and Mars all sit in the 11^th house which rules the legislature and society’s hopes for the future. So confusion in Congress/Senate, along with some good will and a great deal of argument, especially over financial policies since Mars squares the 8^th house Saturn. The USA won’t quite know where it is going since Neptune tends to be directionless.

It’ll certainly be an arena for hostile arguments with Mercury in aspect to Saturn/Pluto = Mars/Pluto = Saturn/Uranus = Mars/Uranus.

There will be some heated spats from the middle of next week for a few days as tr Saturn squares Mars; some uplift in March with tr Uranus opposition Jupiter; and a sharp change of direction as tr Uranus squares the MC in May this year, repeating in October and again in early 2018. But the real wobbles will come from Feb 2018 for two years with tr Pluto square Uranus exactly; and in late 2019 when the Solar Arc Pluto squares Uranus. Both of those will de-stabilise his administration, though such a tight-grip Pluto will hang on through thick and thin.

Uri Geller, best known and much-mocked for his psychic spoonbending and watch-stopping demonstrations on television it now appears from newly released papers undertook trials by the CIA in the 1970s. He was tested for clairvoyant or telepathic abilities in “remote viewing” experiments as part of the CIA’s Stargate programme which was trying to recruit “psychic warriors”. They concluded that “as a result of Geller’s success in this experimental period, we consider that he has demonstrated his paranormal perceptual ability in a convincing and unambiguous manner.” It was always claimed that Geller worked for Mossad and other intelligence agencies as well as commercial mining concerns looking to use his dowsing abilities to determine mineral deposits.

Born 20 December 1946 2.30am Tel Aviv, Israel, he certainly has a very unique chart with Saturn Pluto in Leo on the midheaven. One of the old meanings of Saturn Pluto was the black magician, one who could wield secret power. He also, as one would expect of a psychic, has 8^th and 12^th house planets. His 12^th house Neptune sits on the focal point of a mini Grand Trine of Mercury in Sagittarius trine Saturn Pluto, so sensitive Neptune channels all that powerful energy. His 8^th house Uranus opposes his Sagittarius Sun; and his 8^th house North Node in Gemini is part of a Half Grand Sextile to Saturn Pluto sextile Neptune sextile Mercury.

He’s also got a determinedly confident and charming 1^st house Jupiter Moon Venus in Scorpio square his Pluto, so he could turn on the showmanship to order when required.

His chart is replete with quintiles and septiles (5^th and 7^th Harmonics) so he’s undoubtedly creative, good at organising for a life for himself and the 7^th is an occult number. His two ‘Master’ number harmonics 11 and 22^nd are strongly aspected which are difficult numbers to live up to but would certainly power his motivation and imagination.

He looks definitely flourishing in 2017/18 with tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter and Moon Venus.

The highly significant Germany election is now set for September 24 2017. There’s a panicky Mars Mercury opposition Neptune square Saturn; with Mars trine Pluto – so it will be a good deal more bitterly argumentative and worrisome than usual.

Angela Merkel is aiming for a fourth term, though she’s got huge changes coming long before September as tr Uranus opposes her Neptune and squares her Uranus Sun in Cancer from late this March on for several months. Plus she’s got tr Pluto square her Midheaven exact this month and returning later in the year so she and her reputation are really feeling the pressure. Even more pointed is tr Saturn now moving below her Ascendant into her lower-profile first quadrant for several years ahead. Even if she feels duty calls, her psyche and her body are telling her to slow down and give herself more personal space. Tr Neptune isn’t doing her any good either as it opposes her Solar Arc Jupiter, Sun/Saturn and Saturn/Uranus midpoints in April/May and mid July to late August, all of which are discouraging and will lower her energy and enthusiasm.

But for all that she also has tr Jupiter moving across her 10^th till late autumn which should boost her chances.

At the September election tr Jupiter is only two degrees over her Solar Arc Pluto and sextile her Mars, both of which are positive. Apart from that there’s nothing much else showing.

Minor thought: Her Progressed Moon is going through her 7^th so she will feel the lack of meaningful partnerships and support. Wonder if that’s a hint about political relationships with other EU countries having elections as well.

Caveat: I’m never entirely convinced by political party charts, here or in the USA, which may be a problem of iffy dates. But for what it’s worth.

Labour Party, 27 February 1900 has a Mutable T Square of Pluto in Gemini opposition Uranus Jupiter square a Pisces Sun; with Neptune in Gemini square Mercury in Pisces. Last year’s tr Neptune square tr Saturn was in hard aspect to the Jupiter Uranus and Sun as muddles and mayhem sank Labour down the polls. This year tr Neptune continues to undermine Pluto with tr Saturn opposition Neptune and square Mercury, throughout the year, so not much joy there. Solar Arc Sun opposes the Labour Party Saturn in 2018; followed by Solar Arc Mars conjunct Neptune – all of which is bad news right through into 2019. There is a Saturn Return in 2018/19 which might be a wake-up call to get sensible and practical.

Jeremy Corbyn’s relationship chart with Labour 1900 looks on edge through this February with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Sun. Since this hardly looks like a split; it’ll wait till 2018/19 as tr Pluto squares the composite Sun and trines Uranus to cause more obvious upsets; with 2019 looking highly aggravated between them. He won’t be easy to dislodge with a composite Mars square Pluto so any separation will cause great bitterness and hostility.

Liberal Democrats: 3 March 1988, or the original Liberals, 6 June 1859. The 1988 chart is sagging through 2017 with tr Neptune conjunct the Pisces Sun, but having better luck in 2018 as tr Uranus is conjunct the Jupiter. The Liberal 1859 chart has a 15 degree Gemini Sun so much the same with tr Neptune square the Sun in the immediate future, though also better luck showing in 2018/2019.

UKIP: 3 September 1993 is in meltdown with tr Pluto conjunct their Uranus Neptune conjunction in 2017/18.

Conservative Party: 12 November 1867 has tr Pluto sextile the Scorpio Sun in 2017/18 which is generally positive progress; with a confident boost in 2018 from tr Uranus sextile Jupiter. But beginning to hit heavy seas by 2019/20 with tr Pluto sextile the Sun/Saturn midpoint, followed in 2021 by tr Pluto sextile Saturn which looks bleak.

Theresa May’s relationship with the Tories is bumping along uncertainly through this year with tr Uranus square the composite Neptune, Mars and Uranus from next month onwards; with more major upheavals in 2018 as tr Uranus opposes the composite Sun; and hitting confusion/devastation also in 2018 with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Neptune, moving on to conjunct Mars by 2020, which looks highly aggravated and stuck.

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Utada Hikaru is a Japanese-American singer/songwriter whose albums became a smash hit in Japan from 2001 onwards, although she also released in the US and worked on commercials and movie soundtracks. In 2010 she announced she was taking a hiatus because of exhaustion which might last several years. Her mother committed suicide in 2013 and she married a bar tender the following year, having a baby in 2015.

Born 19 January 1983 1.17am Manhattan, New York, she does have a tough, bleak chart with a Capricorn Sun square Pluto Saturn. The heaviness of that is leavened by a confident and adventurous Jupiter Uranus in Sagittarius square Mars in Pisces.  Though it’ll also make her excitable and nervy. Her Pisces Moon in the performing 5^th is square Neptune – and that was being triggered by the tr Saturn in Virgo opposition tr Uranus in Pisces when she decided to take a break, which would certainly have been a disorienting and discouraging time.

When her mother committed suicide by jumping from a Tokyo high rise in 2013 tr Saturn was about to cross Utada’s Ascendant pushing her into a lower profile phase. Her Solar Arc Sun was conjunct her 4^th house Mars and her Solar Arc Pluto was square Mars – so a dreadful and shocking time for her. Her Solar Arc Neptune was just over the conjunction to her Sun, so she may have already been worried.

With tr Saturn moving through her first quadrant she would want to rebalance her activities and find a more meaningful personal life. Her first marriage in 2002 had been short-lived and was to a music business film director, so maybe she wanted to find a partner who lived outside the bubble.

Her unaspected Venus in Aquarius in the 4^th has stressed midpoints connections being square Uranus/Pluto and Jupiter/Pluto as well as = Mars/Pluto= Mars/Saturn; and her Moon aspects two Saturn and two Pluto midpoints, so she will have struggled to find emotional equilibrium. Her baby was born in July so probably has the Sun Mars in Cancer opposition Pluto, which doesn’t sound straightforward.

She looks due for a major success in late 2017/2018 with her Solar Arc Pluto conjunct her Jupiter. Though she won’t want to be over stretching herself for another two or three years. And tr Uranus square her Sun and opposition her Pluto in 2018, moving on to oppose her Saturn will be a bumpy ride into 2019.

Chelsea Manning has had her 35 year sentence for violations of the Espionage Act commuted with a release date of May 17^th, which isn’t a full pardon since it will still stay on her record. But she will be freed from an inhumane military prison which saw her attempt suicide twice recently.

Born 17 December 1987, she’s an erratic, though confidently innovative Sun Uranus Saturn Mercury in Sagittarius trine Jupiter in Aries; with an intense and anguished Moon Mars Pluto in Scorpio. Tr Saturn is conjunct her Sagittarius planets throughout 2017 as tr Uranus is trine them – so there will be discouraging reality-checks as well as positive change.

She’s got tr Pluto square her Jupiter over her release, from mid March which will give her a morale boost and that stays around till late 2018. And tr Uranus trine her Uranus exactly as well. But I can’t imagine her jailers are too pleased so the intervening nearly four months may be tough going. She’s got an insecure tr Uranus square her Mars/Node in February as well as an undermining tr Neptune square Mars/Neptune; a more upbeat March; and an emotionally upsetting tr Uranus square her Venus in Capricorn in April.

The transition back to ‘normal’ civilian life will be tough going with some depression late 2017/early 2018 with her Solar Arc Saturn conjunct her Venus.

Washington is filling up fast for Friday’s Inauguration with unprecedented numbers booked into hotels, with protesters as keen to be present as Trump supporters. At least 28 groups have been credentialed, compared to the five or six requests from groups usually received, and the Park Service is expecting more than 350,000. There will be a demonstration of about 200,000 women protesting Trump, at the weekend. The hotels have unusually booked additional security to keep warring guests apart.

What is noteworthy is the Mars square Saturn, exact late Thursday, on degree for the Inauguration, but in typically Saturnine form will hang around for a day or so. At the very least, Mars Saturn is bad-tempered and irritable. Ebertin describes it as harmful or destructive energy, harsh, self-willed, bitter. It can be accident-prone (broken bones). One of its meanings is blocked sexuality and abusiveness – Mars being libido and Saturn getting in the way.

The Moon (assuming 12 noon swearing in, though I wouldn’t be surprised it was slightly off timewise) is in Scorpio square the Mars/Saturn midpoint which is depressed, especially where women are concerned.

The Mercury of the Inauguration chart at 6 Capricorn is very badly aspected being conjunct Saturn/Pluto, square Mars/Uranus and = Mars/Pluto = Saturn/Uranus. That all adds up to extreme gloom, excessive irritation and nervousness, fanatical, hitting back under provocation. So major arguments raging and harsh words flying.

The Women’s March on the 21^st starts at 10am, which puts the Scorpio Moon in the 8^th trine Mars in Pisces in the 12^th, so very hidden; with an over-controlled Pluto in the 10^th square Uranus opposition Jupiter; with the Saturn square Mars still in orb. Not an easy or on the face of it a hugely successful chart, maybe even a touch before its time – so it could have spin-offs for later on. The organisers credo: ‘We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.’

The French election this year is one of the major worries for the EU given the far-right, protectionist, anti-EU Marie Le Pen’s rise to prominence. Francois Fillon who was supposed to be the main block to her success, has flip flopped and backtracked on policies including a cane-the-unions and reform-labour laws which has sent even the far left-wing towards Le Pen.

Now Emmanuel Macron, a former economy minister, who is running an independent, centrist, pro-EU campaign, is now seen as capable of causing a major surprise in the spring vote. Born 21 December 1977 10.40am Amiens, France, he’s a Sun Mercury in Sagittarius opposition Jupiter and trine Saturn; with a Taurus Moon opposition Uranus square Mars in Leo in his 7^th – so definitely vocal, hard-hitting, excitable, hard-working.

He’s certainly on an upsurge at the moment with his Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Mars, exact at the moment, though still in effect over the two-stage election on April 23/May 7. He’s also got tr Jupiter conjunct his Pluto over the first round which should give his confidence a boost. But what is probably a sinker is tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Pluto midpoint over both rounds – which is usually bad news for election wins = being damaged by smears, suffering under attacks, lacking energy for resistance.