The Brexit talks got under way formally last Monday at 11am with a flustered David Davis emerging hours later alongside an icily urbane Michel Barnier, who is the chief EU negotiator.

The chart has North Node conjunct the Ascendant hinting at a lack of a clear sense of what exactly the talks entail; and a 7^th house Neptune pointing to disappointment in close relationships and a slipperiness about sticking to commitments. The Sun/Moon midpoint, which represents close relationships is square the Node, so running against the grain of the time; and semi-square Mars which is argumentative. What’s interesting is that the Talks Ascendant will get the full force of the August Leo Eclipse sitting conjunct – and this series of Eclipses puts pressure on personal relationships. Hasty decisions are cautioned against, since information coming in is distorted and possibly false.

David Davis is facing an increasingly depressing and obstacle-strewn passage ahead. Where it starts to really bite will be from December this year as tr Saturn starts to oppose his Uranus, then conjunct his Sun, Mercury, Jupiter in Capricorn in quick order in early 2018, repeating on and off till late 2018. Worse by far is tr Pluto conjunct his Mars and square his Venus/Saturn midpoint in 2018/19 which will see him boxed in from all sides, deeply frustrated, enraged and discouraged. Plus he has a ‘shocking collision’ Solar Arc Mars square his Sun from late 2018 into 2019.

He’s up against formidable opposition with Barnier, another Capricorn, with an 8^th house Mars in Aquarius opposition Pluto – he doesn’t budge easily or at all and will be ruthless. But for all that he looks fairly devastated himself with tr Pluto conjunct his Sun and square his Neptune in 2017/18; completely discombobulated October this year to Jan 2018 with tr Neptune square his Mars/Saturn. If his birth time is accurate then 2019 will be directionless and undermining on the career front; with considerable career losses.

Crashing out of failed talks would hurt the EU as much as the UK, since they’d lose any divorce settlement payment.

Looking at the EU chart they do have this August’s Leo Eclipse conjunct the Solar Arc MC and 12^th house Pluto – which will generate quite a negative effect. It’s likely to be a crisis of direction hitting the MC; with the opportunity for transformation and the greater likelihood of obstinacy leading to decay and stagnation (Pluto). 2019 looks highly uncertain with tr Neptune squaring the 3^rd house Saturn.

Prince Harry has been making himself unpopular with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth by suggesting no one really wants to be monarch. Which given that she has sacrificed herself selflessly for decades is rather a slap in the face. And since he’s close to his brother, it also suggests William isn’t exactly enamoured of being next in line after Prince Charles.

The monarchy has survived this far partly because of the Queen’s unshakeable sense of duty and partly out of the mystique which comes from absolute discretion. Not something the younger Royals appear to understand. Harry does have a natal Mercury square Uranus which will tend to make him shoot off at the mouth without thinking too hard; and his rebellious Uranus has now moved by Solar Arc to conjunct his Capricorn Ascendant, so he’ll be less inclined to care how others react.

His relationship chart with HM Queen has tr Pluto conjunct the composite Mars now, and on and off till late 2018, which will spark up anger, as well as a discouraging toe-the-line tr Pluto sextile the composite Saturn – so no doubt a few firm words will be flying back in his direction via senior courtiers.

And his relationship chart with William, essentially affectionate and friendly, is moving through an unsettled and uncertain phase with tr Neptune square the composite Moon this year, and tr Uranus opposing the composite Pluto exact at the moment; with more jolts and jangles in 2018/19.

Harry isn’t in the best of times either with downbeat and muddled transits to several midpoints this year; as well as tr Saturn square his Sun and conjunct his Neptune later this year, and a panicky-failure tr Neptune aiming to square his Mars by 2019. Plus an accident prone Solar Arc Saturn conjunct his Mars exact by 2019 as well. And from February 2018 his Progressed Moon moves into his 8^th for three years, which is most often an anguished time looking for new values in life.

His relationship with Meghan Markle has a sparkle of passion with a composite Venus Mars, but also a need for space and worse an ego-clash where opposing career interests are concerned. Media reports hint he is ordering an engagement ring, but it’s a relationship that would find it tricky to settle into a steady 24/7 commitment.

I do wish the younger Royals would understand that most people have unwanted pressures in their lives and none of the gargantuan benefits that Royal wealth and privilege bestow.

The collision of the USS destroyer Fitzgerald with a 730 foot-long container ship on 17 June 2017 at 1.30am off the coast of Japan, with the loss of seven lives, has sparked incomprehension in the naval world. The freighter stacked with 1000 containers seems to have been on automatic pilot. But the Fitzgerald should have had lookouts on watch on the port, starboard and stern, scanning the horizon with binoculars and reporting by headsets to the destroyer’s bridge. Radar officers on the bridge and in the combat information centre below should have spotted the freighter’s image on their screens. And under standard protocol, the captain should have been wakened and summoned to the bridge long before the ships could come near each other. Destroyers can manoeuvre quickly so there would have been no problem in avoiding what was effectively a zombie ship. None of that appears to have happened.

The collision chart has Pluto conjunct the MC with Uranus close to the Ascendant; and a crash-prone Mars in the 3^rd in an over-confidence-leads-to-destruction square to Jupiter, and a trine to a narcoleptic Moon Neptune in Pisces. Neptune is also quincunx Jupiter in the 6^th which latter can be lazy at work and overly indulgent. The Fire Grand Trine was in place with Saturn opposition Sun, which would have the Saturnine tendency to make the cost of corner-cutting high. And last but not least Mars in Cancer was moving towards the brutal opposition to Pluto, which even out of orb can trigger events early.

The Fitzgerald was laid down on 9 February 1993 and launched on 29 Jan 1994. Normally the laying down chart is the better indicator, and it has a bleak Sun Saturn in Aquarius square Pluto; with Mars in Cancer and Jupiter in Libra, both returning at the moment to their natal position almost exactly. Tr Pluto was within a degree conjunct the Fitzgerald Neptune Uranus in Capricorn which Ebertin describes as ‘loss of waking consciousness’, confusion and losses. Tr Neptune was also conjunct the Solar Arc Sun Sun Saturn.  Were they all asleep?  Defies belief.

Pushing Obamacare through the shredder is aimed at a Senate vote as early as next Thursday, just as the bitter and enraging Mars opposition Pluto is at its most toxic. Though it isn’t clear if there are enough votes to get it passed. A few Senators are resisting since they think it does not go far enough.

Background for non-Americans: There are two driving forces: 1. Republican majorities in both chambers want to erase the central concept that health care is a fundamental right, not a privilege depending on one’s income. Medicaid at the moment serves almost 70 million people, providing health care for the indigent, disabled and working poor. Additionally, about 20 percent of spending goes to provide nursing home care, including for middle-class seniors whose savings have been exhausted. 2. Slashing Medicaid spending by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade ‘creates fiscal headroom for what is euphemistically being called “tax reform” — a soon-to-come package of huge tax cuts favouring the wealthy.’

It is what the Guardian describes as ‘a blood-sucking endeavour’ to bleed Medicaid and transfuse the cash into the pockets of the rich.

The Obamacare chart, 23 March 2010 11.56 am Washington, DC, always indicated a troubled future with a crisis-ridden Cardinal Grand Cross of Sun opposition Saturn square Pluto opposition Moon and Ascendant in Cancer. At the moment tr Saturn is square the reforming Uranus, pitting the cold reactionary energy of Saturn against innovative, humanitarian Uranus. There’s an undermining tr Neptune conjunct MC sending Obamacare into a swamp; and the emotional shock of tr Uranus conjunct the Solar Arc Venus. Tr Saturn will prune back forcefully in 2018 as it hard aspects the Cardinal Grand Cross; with a fairly cataclysmic upheaval in late 2018 from Solar Arc Uranus square the Moon and Pluto. What might be the only glimmer of hope lies four years ahead when the Solar Arc Jupiter is conjunct the 10^th house Uranus, which could – maybe – produce a turnaround.

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Democrats licking their wounds after the failure of Jon Ossoff to win the congressional seat in Georgia in a strongly Republican area have turned their ire on House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. The New York Times describes her as “one of the most successful congressional leaders in the modern era. She is the Democrat most crucial to determining whether her party can take back the House and torpedo President Trump’s agenda.” But some want her gone.

Born 26 March 1940 in Baltimore, MD, she’s a Sun Aries trine Pluto, with Jupiter also in Aries; and Saturn, Uranus, Venus, Mars spread out through Taurus; and her Saturn square Pluto – so quite a steamroller of energy and relentless determination.

Although she’ll stay bullishly confident at points through this year and next, she’s also got a fair amount of discouragement pulling her down in 2017/18; with some hints of career losses later in the year; and certainly major upheavals in 2018 with tr Uranus conjunct her Saturn and square her Pluto – though given her age that could be other non-political factors at play.

Jon Ossoff, 16 Feb 1987, the documentary filmmaker who ran in Georgia, is a Sun Aquarius on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine of Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius trine Mars in Aries; and a risk-taking Jupiter square Saturn Uranus – so not short of high-energy, initiative or guts. He’s young enough to have a long career ahead of him, once he recovers from the car-crash Solar Arc Mars square his Sun this year alongside the high of Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Mars.

2019 has tr Uranus opposing his Pluto, for a radical change of lifestyle; 2021 will see him in confident campaigning mode with tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter, but it then moves a year later into a blocked square to his Mars.

Impossible to say what his future holds politically but my sense is he’ll fare better once Pluto moves out of Capricorn and tr Neptune gets over his Jupiter, which would look like 2024.

Boris Johnson, UK Foreign Secretary with the Trump hair,  has joined Diane Abbott in the car-crash interviews stakes after a punishing doing-over by Eddie Mair about the Queen’s Speech, when he sighed, hummed and hawed, shuffled his papers and didn’t appear to have a clue what he was supposed to say.

Boris isn’t in a good place at all at the moment with tr Pluto in a catastrophe-ridden square to his Mars/Saturn midpoint; and his scatter-gun Mutable T Square of Saturn opposition Uranus Pluto square Mars in Gemini, having moved by Solar Arc to collide with tr Uranus hard aspects. His horror influences will run through 2018, if anything getting worse, as he picks up a totally-trapped tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Pluto; and a panicky-failure tr Neptune square his Sun/Mars. If his birth time is accurate then he’s shuddering into more setbacks and jolting changes in terms of career direction in 2019/2020 as his Solar Arc MC is opposition his Saturn and then conjunct his Uranus.

Eddie Mair, 12 November 1965, a BBC radio and TV presenter, is a Sun Neptune in Scorpio; with an outspoken Mars in Sagittarius which opposes Boris’s Sun Venus in Gemini, so they are always good for an argument. Their relationship chart lays bare a major clash of personalities with a composite Mars Saturn opposition Sun Uranus Pluto Mercury – so dislike, defensiveness, differing agendas, explosive tensions.

The worst political crisis among Middle Eastern Gulf countries in decades is escalating despite US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s plea for reason and caution. Having effectively blockaded Qatar, four Arab states have now sent a list of 13 demands to be met if sanctions are to be lifted. Amongst them that broadcaster Al Jazeera is shut down; ties with Iran to be reduced and a Turkish military base closed – all within 10 days. The Saudi-led allies order it to cut ties with extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, end the funding of terrorism, and hand over terrorists. None of which leaves much wiggle room for negotiations. Qatar, which has sought to raise its profile in recent years, denies funding terrorism and fostering instability.

Al-Jazeera, the most widely watched broadcaster in the Arab world, is seen as a propaganda tool for Islamists that undermines support for other governments in the region. It launched on 1 November 1996, with a Scorpio Sun Mercury square Uranus, with Uranus conjunct Neptune – keen on upsetting the status quo, determined. Reforming/revolutionary Uranus is also on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine from a resilient, tough-minded Saturn trine Pluto. It does have a fairly afflicted Mars in Virgo square Pluto and quincunx Saturn, so was always going to arouse anger and hostility. The road ahead looks exceptionally bumpy as tr Uranus this year squares the AlJ Neptune, moving to square Uranus in 2018, along with an uphill-struggle tr Pluto conjunct Sun/Saturn. Where it looks more likely to come to a halt will be around 2019/2020 with Solar Arc Sun conjunct Pluto, then square Mars, and Solar Arc Saturn square Neptune.

The AlJ Pluto square Mars sits squarely on the Qatar Neptune opposition Saturn square Sun, so it was always going to prove a headache of migraine proportions. But the relationship chart between Qatar and AlJ has a chained-together composite Saturn opposition Pluto, so won’t be easily let go. Though the ties that bind will get a severe shaking through 2018/19 as tr Uranus is opposition the Pluto and then conjunct Saturn.

The Cancer Ingress chart for the summer solstice, located to London, puts an indecisive, directionless Neptune in the 10^th, which sounds about right. Slippery, confused Neptune is further emphasised being on the point of a mini-Grand Trine of Pluto trine Venus Moon in Taurus.

The Fire Grand Trine of Saturn Uranus Node is still formed into a Kite by Saturn opposition Mercury in Gemini – Fire Air – lots of hot air. The Node is in the 3^rd so communication problems, especially where detail is concerned. Lots of anger as well and intense/toxic relationships with Mars on the Ascendant and Pluto in the 7^th. Uranus in the 11^th, heading in a new direction but plans changing constantly.  Jupiter is heavily aspected/afflicted, being quincunx Neptune and on the point of a T Square to Mars and Pluto – so high hopes and disappointment, financial losses, overly pushy, risky.

The Cancer Ingress, set for Washington, DC, has Neptune in the Ascendant so the country giving the appearance of being highly confused; very much focused on domestic affairs with a 4^th house Sun. The afflicted 7^th house Jupiter – ‘a tendency to take too much for granted, susceptible to charlatans and people who have grandiose ideas without sufficient backing.’ (Sakoian & Acker).

Saturn in the 10^th can be well-organised but most often when it occurs in Return or Ingress charts, there’s frustration with mistakes surfacing, and tediously slow progress. Overly intense team relationships; extravagant and indulgent.

I don’t work much with Ingress charts and there’s doubt about which Ingress makes most sense for the year – Capricorn, Libra or Aries.

The actor and triple Oscar winner Daniel Day Lewis has said he is retiring from acting – again – having disappeared for several years in the 1990s. Liam Neeson said he was retiring in disgust in 1999 from the Hollywood scene, but that didn’t last for too long. So who knows?

Lewis, 29 April 1957, doesn’t have a birth time so there’s a chunk of information missing. He’s a Sun Venus Mercury, maybe Moon, in Taurus with his Sun opposition Neptune square Uranus. So he’ll be fairly highly-strung, and while quite fixed, will also be prone to instant changes. He’s in an uncertain year with tr Neptune square his Saturn; with a downbeat tr Saturn opposition his Mars and square his Jupiter. At the moment he’s got a marginally catastrophic tr Uranus square his Mars/Pluto, though also a great-relief tr Uranus trine his Jupiter/Uranus – so there may be something going on in his life which provoked this announcement.

Tr Uranus is moving towards the opposition to his Neptune in 2018, starting a four year trail in hard aspect round his Fixed T Square, which will shake his life up considerably. 2019/2020 look confident with tr Pluto trine his Jupiter; but 2020 has his Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Pluto, which is hugely problematic and stuck.

He’s always seemed quite a tortured and troubled soul, so it’s a pity there’s no birth time.