Julia Gillard ousted as Australian Prime Minister as Kevin Rudd takes over.

In an amazing night of drama in the Australian capital city of Canberra, Julia Gillard the now former Prime Minister in an attempt to firm up her position before the upcoming General Election, held a snap leadership vote as one of her aids in the Labor party suddenly switched allegiances to her rival for power, Kevin Rudd. The vote held in the past couple of hours saw Mr Rudd win by 57 votes to 45 and now it is he who becomes Prime Minister and will lead his party into the upcoming election.

Firstly I will look at Gillard, born 29th Sept 61 at noon in Barry, Wales. Her Midheaven and point of career is ruled by Virgo and thus by the planet Mercury which is stationing right now in her 8th house of enforced change and the opinions and views of other people. Effectively this was a sign that support for her was turning. Which way? Well Mercury was turning almost exactly opposite her natal Saturn sitting in the 2nd house of her personal values. With Saturn’s ruling sign Capricorn encased also in the 2nd house, her personal values and her authority and ambitions and career position were coming under serious opposition from this soon to be retrograde Mercury. Her Ascendant is ruled by Pluto and this was being opposed by Neptune and receiving a trine from transiting Pluto, so here we see her personal standing weakening, disintegrating and being undermined by these two powerful outer planets. Her time under this vote was surely up and she quoted that if she lost the vote she would stand down from politics. Surely she will now walk away after this humiliating defeat.

Now to the new Australian Prime Minister and his chart. Kevin Rudd’s Midheaven, his point of career and public projection is ruled by Libra and thus Venus. His natal Venus is now receiving a conjunction from Saturn which rules his chart in his 10th house giving him added responsibilities and pressure. That Venus is also now being connected by the grand Water trine of Saturn, Neptune and the Sun/Jupiter bringing his dreams and wishes into form and shape, giving him influence and thus it is expanding his life. The unexpected nature of his promotion can be seen through Uranus at a point on his chart making multiple aspects to his Ascendant, Saturn through a beneficial trine updating his work and career through party (11th house) action, North Node, Jupiter, Mars, Sun Mercury and natal Uranus. Here, fresh new energy were being pumped into his life and his career. That same expansion can also be seen through transiting Pluto making a sextile to his natal Venus as well as a square to Jupiter giving him power and a career boost (Jupiter in 10th) through which he benefitted via behind the scenes sources (Sagittarius on 12th house cusp).

Out of the two, it was obvious to me who was going to benefit from a snap vote and now Mr Rudd moves on to take on Tony Abbott, the opposition Liberal party leader in the election to come. When we have an official date for this election, I will attempt to have a look to see which way the wind is blowing in Australian politics.   

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Jupiter conjunct Polaris – Setting off on a new journey

This conjunction is valid from today until 24th June 2013

Jupiter is now moving closer to the pole star Polaris which sits high in the night sky in the constellation of Ursa Minor, the little bear. Polaris has always been used by explorers as a star by which they find their way and this is exactly the effect it has on any planet, in finding a route or setting a path. The path set here is one of expansion, of embracing different cultures, new faiths and ideas and of learning, of going on a journey and not worrying about the consequences of the challenge and the quest as reaching your goal outweighs the potential pitfalls that may lie along the way.

Jupiter is the planet of law and maybe new agreements and statutes agreed under this aspect will pioneer a new direction and attitudes. In a way this is an entrepreneurial aspect, representative of the businessman who wants to start up a new enterprise, the man who is full of innovation and has optimism and hope on his side.

I think you might see a slightly bolder and brave attitude within leaders and their handling of difficult and troubling problems around the world. The G8 summit in Northern Ireland starting on Monday may see the world’s leaders in a bullish mood willing to tackle issues together that normally would lead to inertia and fudge.

With you and your life, if you have plan for your future or you want to achieve something big, see if you can start putting some ideas together now as Jupiter conjunct Polaris sets a marker point down to go on a journey and to follow that distant star. The conjunction will start to initiate the grand trine in the night skies above us with Neptune and Saturn, so this aspect really can expand your life in the next month or so and finally long held ambitions can be seized and acted upon. I would wait until Saturn moves direct from 8th July before really moving forward and putting ideas into action though.

All in all, this is a lovely positive position for Jupiter, a signpost on the way ahead as he heads for the sign of Cancer and the start of a spectacular Astrological summer to come.

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Kim Kardashian – Celebrating the birth of her first child

A little break from all the bad new stories around at the moment to report on a happy event. Celebrity Kim Kardashian and her partner KanYe West have announced the birth of a yet unnamed daughter at approximately 01.30am on Saturday according to the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK. Kim actually was not due to have her daughter until a month later in a the first couple of weeks of July but medical complications meant that the baby arrived yesterday.

A quick look at Kim’s chart (born 21st Oct 1980, at 10.46am, Los Angeles – source Astro Databank) sees her as a Sun sign Libran with her Piscean Moon bang opposite her Midheaven sitting on her IC at the base of her chart. This Sun Moon mix is very sociable and intuitive and she will know immediately what she has to do to please people around her so that she can make the best of any social situation. This is a very switched on girl who will be able to detect any falsehood or insincerity that is going on around her.

With Venus, Jupiter and Saturn all at the top of her chart conjunct at her Midheaven, it shows that she is very ambitious, is lucky in any career endeavours including internationally and she is blessed with good looks. Venus is conjunct to the Midheaven and square to her Ascendant and this often contributes beauty to the individual which she uses in her career, and she certainly has taken advantage of those attributes in modelling and appearing in reality shows. Both Venus and the Midheaven make square aspects to Neptune the planet ruling TV and film sitting her 1st house of the self, and that is exactly what she opens out to the world on her programmes which bring her fame. It is also interesting to note that Neptune through it’s sign Pisces rules her 4th house of family, the basis for her reality TV shown and her fame. Venus and the Midheaven also oppose her 3rd house Piscean Moon in Neptune’s sign making her very compassionate and sympathetic as a person but also maybe a little evasive and hard to read too; this is accentuated with Neptune conjunct to her Ascendant which can be an escapist tendency if she ever gets to feel down of slightly depressed.

Going back to that Moon, she will tend to make decisions on a purely emotional basis and I don’t think that logic will ever play a full part in the way that she lives her life, she will be someone who acts more on her feelings and desires at any particular moment in time. The Moon makes a series of oppositions to Saturn and Jupiter and here we see a genuine optimism through the Jupiter opposition and also a real need for and fear of being accepted and liked through the Saturn opposition. This fear pushes her on I think to crave attention and this encourages her to seek it through the assets that she naturally and physically has. The Moon through Cancer rules her 8th house of sex and intimacy, and I think she uses this and her good looks as a tool to gain herself the attention and love she wants, although she will also be very ultra sensitive to criticism too. The Venus Moon opposition often doesn’t really want to be in a normal formal relationship and prefers a looser arrangement, like the one she has with KanYe. With Gemini on the cusp of her 7th house of permanent partners, settling down would never be easy for Kim as she will always have an eye out for an alternative and always see everyone as a potential friend, that’s the duality of Gemini for you. Her former husband and basketball player Kris Humphries, knows this to his cost.

Pluto also sits in her 10th house conjunct her 11th house Sun and this is always a placement that demands “I want to be noticed (and sometimes famous) and I want to be in control of my own destiny”. Often a dark Plutonic allure and intensity and shines through whenever the Sun and Pluto hook up, you can always notice people with this conjunction as they invariable either have strong dark features or eyes, or they smoulder with sex appeal. The Sun also says something about her father Robert, who as you know was one of the lawyers in the OJ Simpson case years ago. The conjunction indicates he was a powerful man with a searching investigative personality.

Like her father, Kim has a very deep and inquisitive mind too with Mercury in Scorpio conjunct to Uranus and I think she is more cute and clever than many give her credit for. To survive and thrive in the socialite bubble that is Los Angeles, one has to be a very astute operator and this conjunction will bring her bright ideas and inspirational plans that will always keep her in the public eye. Her Mars sits hidden away in her 12th house in free and easy Sagittarius so she will have an open attitude to the intimate side of life, and this is an aspect that will always take a risk or two if there is a chance of achieving one’s hopes and dreams. This Mars makes a sextile to her natal Saturn and so she will work hard, persevere and not be afraid of opening out the more hidden side of her life so that she can receive the praise, adulation and love that I have mentioned she needs.

You will notice I have included Chiron the wounded healer on her chart and I have done this for a reason as it sits in her 5th house of children. You will see that the transiting South Node was conjunct to her natal Chiron at the time of the birth, it had just passed through this conjunction bringing an infection and some potential suffering that initiated her to have the baby earlier than it was due. The Nodal hit would have brought an unexpected event, the wound through the infection and the associated worry and then the healing as the baby was delivered successfully, just as Venus and Mercury were making a soothing little sextile to Chiron.

Mercury her Midheaven ruler was making a trine to her natal Pluto, indicating a transformation in her public status to that of a mother. Mars, the planet ruling her 5th house of children was making an opposition to her natal Mars sitting in the 12th house of hospitals from the 6th house of health issues and you can see the rush and impatience here through the opposition, almost as if this baby was determined to come along early. That Mars was also receiving two square aspects, one from Neptune showing again a link to hospitals and health matters and a square from the Moon the ruler of the 8th house of permanent change.

Just for the record, and to complete the picture, her progressed Venus (not shown) was making a lovely conjunction to her natal Sun this year, showing a happy event in her life was about to come. I wish Kim, KanYe and their new baby girl lots of health and happiness.

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Venus conjunct Sirius - A chance for some diplomacy but a threat remains.

This connection is starting to take hold and is in effect up until 15th June 2013

A couple of days ago Mercury rolled over the fixed star Sirius in Canis Minor, the constellation of the great dog. Now it is time for Venus to do the same. As I explained before, Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and has always been seen as a place where the mundane can suddenly be transformed for a brief time into the extraordinary for the world to see.

The soothing, loving effect of Venus will now hold this spot in the sky for a couple of days on the back of her making an intense t-square with first Pluto and then Uranus, one within which relationships will have been strained to their limits. Venus if nothing else is a planet of diplomacy as well as of love, mainly through the influence of Libra who she rules which wants peace and fairness at all costs. This can instil a more calming influence over tense situations and hopefully settle some disputes that have been bubbling and boiling over the last few days.

There is a catch though and I think this applies especially to the on-going situation in Turkey. Mars is still going to be connected to Aldebaran during this time too and so we potentially have a double edged sword being shown. Take the peaceful hand of conciliation being offered (Venus conjunct Sirius) or take the consequences of more violent action (Mars conjunct Aldebaran) if you don't.

Outside this crisis, Venus conjunct to Sirius shows a chance for great creativity, art and beauty to be produced and for lots of love to be shown. Robson says this conjunction indicates ease, comfort and luxury, extravagance and gain by inheritance. Let's hope that these kinds of qualities can win the day...

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan – Facing the wrath of his own people.

The Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not been out of the news since he agreed for the demolition of Gezi Park, one of the few remaining green spaces in Istanbul to be bulldozed in making way for a shopping mall. Since the protest against the scheme began it has mushroomed from a simple environmental protest into a referendum of the leadership style of the Prime Minister who bluntly refuses to back down. After 10 years in power, Mr Erdogan is finding that the longer you sit in the top job, the lonelier it gets. Lets have a look at the Astrology of the embattled Turkish leader.

 

Mr Erdogan born in the suburbs of Istanbul on 26th February 1945 (no birth time known) is a Sun sign Pisces with a freewheeling Sagittarian Moon. He has no planets in earth signs to hold him down and give him a practical side and with 5 planets in water and 6 in mutable signs, this is a man who lives on his emotions, his intuition and his wits. He is a chameleon of a politician, able to fit into the prevailing mood through stealth and through his instincts. His Sun Moon combination is one of faith and idealism with a real awareness and knowledge of what is going around him, although at times it can lead him to being impractical and hard to read by others, even in his immediate circle.

His Sun sits in conjunction with Mercury and Venus, so this is a man who tends to see things his way first and has a high impression of himself. Venus and Mercury together do foster good relations between people and there is a lot of charm and humour here that can make him popular. The Pisces side of things here brings much compassion and sympathy especially to those who have the same aims as he does, however there is a tough side to Pisces too that sometimes comes out. There are two kinds of Pisces I have found in the past. The timid little fish who swim around in shoals twisting and turning their position to protect themselves, and then there are the bigger fish, the great white sharks of the oceans who devour everything in their path. I suspect Mr Erdogan belongs to the latter category.

This triple conjunction receives aspect from pretty much every other planet on his chart. It is at the point of a t-square connecting Mars and Moon conjunct in Sagittarius opposite to Jupiter in Gemini. Moon and Mars in Sagittarius is one of those placements that does like to reach for the stars and aim for the top. These people have free emotions and free tempers too and even a big jolt in their ambitions will not stop them. This is exacerbated by the opposition from Jupiter which makes Erdogan a risk taker supreme, someone who can take a gamble and be confident of it paying off. Jupiter in Gemini tends to spread the risk too and has the ability to take various ideas and to meld them into one coherent philosophy. We have faith and spirituality here abound in this t-square and the way he has combined growth and expansion (Jupiter) with his Islamic ideals did strike a chord with a lot of the Turkish people. The thing is, to do so he had to take on a country which was secular in nature and this over time has rankled with the more modernist, liberal influences in Turkey.

Tayyip Erdogan is very ambitious and controlling as a man. The ambition comes from a triple trine from Saturn in hard line and all or nothing Scorpio to his Sun, Mercury and Venus. Remember I said that Erdogan was a shark and here is the proof. He will have a tough no nonsense way of ruling, conservative to the core and his message will be uncompromising on anything that goes against his spiritual and social principles. Furthermore with Pluto in Leo making a quindecile to his natal Sun, this is a man who is driven by power and a need to be famous and notable.

Uranus in Cancer also feeds in to Venus and Mercury by a double trine and this brings a mind which can be clever and progressive but also he will have an independent and yet rather stubborn side to him too. Certainly he will not like to be told what to do and he may rebel and go off and do his own thing despite any persuasive arguments that others might have. This can lead to a confrontational, I don’t care, I’ll do things my way style of communicating. Uranus makes a square aspect to Neptune and this shows huge inspiration and clever social ideas, there is motivation here for bringing new social order and movements which are fresh and unlike anything around at the time. Erdogan at the head of the AKP party in Turkey came along and swept the old order away with a brand new philosophy and political movement. That was then and this is now, and the new ideal he pioneered is now looking more old and tired than it used to be.

I see on his transits chart that transiting Chiron, the wounded healer is sitting on Tayyip’s natal Venus, the planet of nature and environmentalism. How appropriate an aspect can you get as he is wounded as a leader and his premiership hits the rocks. Transiting Neptune is also just 2 degrees from his natal Sun but will get no closer now for a while as Neptune is now retrograde. Nethertheless, this approach is weakening him slowly and this could be the beginning of the end of his tenure as Prime Minister of Turkey. This could be confirmed as Saturn comes around later this year in September to make a harsh Saturn return, although my instinct is that transiting Neptune will finish his run as Prime Minister when it gets to 7 Pisces possibly as early as May next year. Transiting Uranus is making a trine to his Mars Moon conjunction and this will tend to make him act and seem rather unpredictable and highly emotional now, and Mars opposing his Mars and square to his Sun may make him act in a particularly nasty fashion. Keep an eye out for some brutal police action as they try to quell the will of the Turkish people. I think it could be a long fight to the death.

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Cancer 2013 Ingress Chart for the United States – Will Obama be challenged by impeachment?

We are coming around to the next cardinal ingress point in just over a week’s time the the Sun reaches 0 degrees Cancer. For that point Astrologers can cast a chart for any point on earth and catch the general mood for the next three months and if that place is an administrative centre for a country, you can see what is in store for the nation involved. Looking at the US Cancer ingress chart a fascinating picture appears.

 

Now with ingress chart, the key to major events taking place in the future is to look at the angles and to see what is happening there, especially if any planets sit right on them. This chart several main structures on it. Two grand water trines and a very interesting t-square as well as the square from Uranus to Pluto.

The first trine to look at is the Pisces Ascendant trine to Mercury Venus in 5th to the Moon in the 8th making the grand trine. Here we have the Moon representing the people of the nation sitting in the house of money owed and national debt so the people will still be focused on these things, and with Venus the planet of money and Mercury the planet of the press in the 5th house of speculation one can assume that the focus will be on cash seeming frittered away by government and the debt continuing to rise. This grand trine also could see an interest in celebrities in the media (highlighted by the 5th house) and sex scandals (highlighted by the 8th).

Right I move on to the second grand water trine and seemingly a more powerful one with some outer planets involved. Here we see Jupiter the Sun and Black Moon Lilith closely conjunct at the IC, the cusp of the 4th house  and Jupiter is sitting almost exactly on it. This triple conjunction connects to Saturn in the 7th and Neptune in the 12th. This triple conjunction also makes a t-square with the Midheaven and the Ascendant. One just has to focus on the three bodies at the bottom of this chart. The Sun represents the leader, Barack Obama and Jupiter can represent the law and legal proceedings, potentially connected to international events. Black Moon Lilith in the mix here is like throwing a hand grenade into the whole situation, some sort of scandal will surely emerge that may take a victim. Being on the IC in the 4th house of the opposition (the Republicans) and opposing the MC, the public face of the nation is this the sign of an impeachment attempt on the president himself? With this picture and the closeness of the connections, I feel that it is within the realms of possibility.

Expanding out this point, we see a trine to harsh Saturn in the 7th house of the law courts and a trine to Neptune in the 12th, of undisclosed government issues hidden behind closed doors. There are a lot of smoke and mirrors going on here and Neptune is strong as it rules this chart. Will legal hearings over hidden elements of the government policies go on? Might they be about deception on a huge scale? The implication of these connections activated by the grand water trine here could be enormous. On a related note, there might also be connections to law and health services, prisons and other government institutions and a focus on these things in the next 3 months. One also might expect the US film industry to do very well internationally and creatively out of this grand water trine, natural gas production as well as farming and crop production in the US may thrive or suffer greatly too. This is hard to say as Jupiter expands here but Saturn limits and Neptune can either bring copious amounts of rain or huge suffering through drought or floods.

Moving on to Mars in the 3rd house quindecile to the Midheaven and the Moon, there may be a focus on the car and transportation companies by the administration and the general population as well as the military and armed forces too. With Mars sextile to Uranus, might technology in these areas be important as well? Wild fires could well cause devastation again to people and properties, forcing the government to action states of emergencies, the Uranus Mars connection says these and other disasters may spring up without notice?

Finally I look at the Uranus Pluto square, connecting the Uranus in 1st house of the nation to Pluto in the 10th house of the administration. This seems to me to to echo the major grand water trine and the t-square on the US Cancer ingress chart, namely that there could be a power battle at the top of government in the US, with certainly a part of the population (the Republicans) wanting change and revolt through whatever means the can get it. Looks like it is gonna be an interesting summer in Washington DC. 

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Venus square Uranus - Feeling the electricity

Did you feel the intensity and deep desire of Venus opposing Pluto yesterday? I was writing about so many other things, that was an aspect I sort of missed. Maybe you felt powerful oppositions in your relationships, maybe emotions were at their height either in a good or bad way, or maybe you felt restricted and blocked in your financial position or over things that you owned?

Today, Venus moves on to exactly square Uranus and now excitement and unexpected events can enter those same spheres of your life. Yes there may still be tension in the air but circumstances may occur today for you to break free especially in regards to love, money or possessions. Venus in emotional Cancer square to Uranus in assertive Aries could bring new exciting opportunities to make money, experience a spark of wild passion or create new beautiful designs. This is an aspect of love fuelled by revolution, by a need for independence and for breaking new ground.

Remember, Uranus' influence is exciting yet fleeting and does not last, so if that is what you want go for it and feel the electricity...

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Mars conjunct Aldebaran - A rise of aggression

This aspect starts to kick in tomorrow and is active until 15th June

In the next day or so, Mars moves in to conjunct with one of the Royal Persian stars, Aldebaran, the “Watcher of the East” sitting in the eye of the bull in the constellation of Taurus. All royal stars promise success however with Royal Persian stars there is always a test to make sure that you are held true to your values and if you fail it then all your gains will be lost. With Aldebaran, this test is one of your ethical integrity. If you are not honest in your endeavours, then you will lose everything you have and you will come crashing down to earth.

Mars as you will know is the planet of action, aggression and violence, and also of the police and the military and it is possible that we will see a proliferation of force in the light of this connection. Robson says of this conjunction the it favours military action but attended by much danger and there is possibility of accidents too. Those who order such action will be judged by Aldebaran now, and if their actions are not ethical, then they will be due heavy retribution somewhere down the tracks.

This connection can help you to move forward in your life and take decisive action but make sure that all that you do is honest and in done in the right way.

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The Astrology of Edward Snowden and the CIA leak scandal.

Edward Snowden is a former CIA technical employee who is as you will probably now know is on the run in Hong Kong after leaking to the UK newspaper the Guardian that US agencies were secretly tapping billions of emails, mobile phone calls and internet histories. It appears that this has caused great embarrassment in the US, especially in making common knowledge the existence of the  secret scheme, codenamed “Prism”. Snowden has currently disappeared, and has become US enemy suspect number one as the US authorities scour Hong Kong for some semblance of his whereabouts.

He was born on 21st June 1983 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and is either a Sun Gemini or Sun Cancer (the Sun is on the cusp) with a Scorpio Moon that has a need to know everything. With that Sun on the Aries Point (initial degree of a Cardinal sign) there was also the likelihood of him having some notoriety about him. The Sun is opposite to Neptune making him quite a sensitive, impressionable and idealistic soul who can get lost in his own little world, in dreams and in fantasies. He has no planets in earth signs and this would not help him to keep his feet firmly on the ground and give him some much needed common sense. He is impatient with Sun and Mars together in Gemini and someone who is always on the go and also needing of information, and with these two planets opposed to Neptune combined with that intensely secretive and controlling Moon in Scorpio, the lure of working behind the scenes in a technical role for an security agency like the CIA represented by Mars here would have been compelling for him.

Edward has a risk taking Jupiter Uranus in Sagittarius opposed to Mercury in Gemini which to me screams freedom of information, and it also bestows on him a very exceptional technical and scientific talent.  I am sure that this need for freedom and independence of information must have conflicted with the intensely private and secretive Scorpio Moon and the Sun/Mars opposition to Neptune in him. He has a very intense Saturn/Pluto conjunction in Libra the planet of justice and balance at the focus point of a wedge formation connecting to that Sun/Mars/North Node opposite to Neptune. This combination would have driven him to think of the consequences of the actions being taken in his work, and the kind of information that was being gleaned. You can almost see the conflict going on here inside him. He was contracted to work for the CIA because of the attraction of the type of work involved and the fact that he was good at what he did, but once inside the machine, his ambition (Saturn) and intense desire (Pluto) for justice and freedom (Libra) of what he believed in, would have worked away at him. The conflict was do you tow the line and hide something you intensely oppose, or do you spill the beans? 

The tipping point on this came as transiting Pluto made an exact inconjunct aspect to his natal Mercury activating the opposition to Uranus and Jupiter, and the adjusting and separating aspect empowered him to go to the foreign (Jupiter) press (Mercury) about these internet (Uranus) secrets (Pluto), fulfilling his need for freedom (Uranus/Jupiter) of information (Mercury). Pluto was also making a quindecile to his Mars North Node conjunction where Jupiter was passing over, activating that wedge formation in his natal chart. This double hit initiated the action (Mars) that he took, he would have seen it as his destiny (North Node) to do so. It also prompted him to go overseas (Jupiter) and escape (Neptune) the US. Also notice that transiting Mars had been opposing his Jupiter and latterly Uranus and Neptune was squaring this conjunction, again impelling him to take a huge risk and tell the world (Jupiter) about the technological (Uranus) deception (Neptune).

If you put Edward against the US natal chart, the one I now use is the Act of the Confederacy chart of 15th Nov 1777, Edward’s chart and the action he took fits in incredibly well to it. We see his natal Saturn Pluto conjunction (ambition to work in powerful and controlling way) sitting in the US 8th house of secrets, control and change, square to the US Pluto in the hidden 12th house, the house of prisons, the place were he will eventually end up once he is caught.

His Mercury sits in the US 4th house of  opposition at the midpoint of technological Uranus and the IC, the point of the chart which sits at the heart of the US nation and the homeland. His need for information opposes the Midheaven, the people running the country and the nation’s public reputation, and his Jupiter/Uranus conjunction which opposes his Mercury sits in the 9th house of overseas publications conjunct to the Midheaven. His Mercury also sits at the point of a Yod, connected to the US South Node and Mars conjunction and the US Mercury Saturn conjunction by two quincunxes. As I mentioned before transiting Pluto sitting on the Mars/South Node conjunction was activating that Yod, bringing a detrimental (South Node) action (Mars) about information (Mercury) that would affect the US administration (Saturn). Also you can see that his natal Mars/North Node is inconjunct and thus at odds with the US Sun and his natal Sun Neptune opposition sits square to the US Neptune. In his idealist way, he lifted the veil on the toxic deceptive world that goes on beyond the prying eyes of the US public. 

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Sir Henry Cecil - Legendary racehorse trainer passes away

Sir Henry Cecil, one the greats in the horse racing world has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Born 11th Jan 43 (birth time unknown) in Aberdeen, Scotland, the most famous horse he trained Frankel retired recently with an unbeaten and unblemished perfect record. He was always a bit of a stylish dresser and he went on once he took up horse training he went on to win 25 classic races including The Epsom Derby 4 times and the The Epsom Oakes 8 times.

As you can see, Sir Henry Cecil had a powerful kite on his chart. Saturn and Uranus in Gemini made him a progressive thinker and worker trine to a Mercury Venus conjunction in Aquarius giving a bit of glamour and an appreciation of and an eye for beauty, form and movement trine to Neptune in Libra giving intuition and inspiration all formed into a wonderful air trine completed into the kite by powerful Pluto in Leo. He would be someone I think who would live on the edge a bit and on his wits, a networker and a communicator. This was a powerful, talented and fun to be with man for sure, especially as Pluto made a quindecile to his Capricorn Sun, a link of huge will power, determination and a need to succeed and be notable.

His Mars sat peregrine in free spirited Sagittarius, unconnected to any other planet by major aspect on the chart and this would have provided him with a joie-de-vivre and a wonderful sense of adventure and fun. Mars in Sagittarius loves to stretch the limits as much as is possible and to take risks. This position does allow you to bounce back from disappointment and during the 6 years between 2000 and 2006 that he never won a classic race, Sir Henry kept on going and returned to glory with his most successful horse ever.

It is likely that his Moon opposed Neptune so he would have had a lot of compassion and sensitivity in his character and his careful and ambitious Capricorn Sun opposed Jupiter in Cancer, so here was a warm-hearted and optimistic person, protective and generous to his loved ones and his team around him. This was a man with big ambitions and a desire to make a huge impression on a wide scale and that is what he did. That Jupiter connected to horses through it's sign Sagittarius sat on the fixed star Castor, one of the twins in Gemini. This star connected to Jupiter shows a talent for negotiation and it allows one to find the right solution to a problem. Maybe that's one of the reasons for his success, he understood and had a way of finding the best preparation for his horses and jockeys and maybe he instinctively knew just what they needed to go out and be successful for him.

He once told the Daily Telegraph newspaper in the UK "I do everything by instinct really, not by the book. I like to think I’ve got a feeling for and understand my horses, that they tell me what to do really." I think that sums up exactly what his chart tells us.

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Mercury conjunct Canopus - Lines of communication are broken

This aspect is valid today 11th June and into tomorrow 12th June

Mercury as it starts to slow is in a very interesting part of the sky. Yesterday and today it is in connection with Sirius and now it connects with the fixed star Canopus, the star in the constellation Carinae, the Keel, which forms a part of the great southern ship of the skies, the Argo.

The keel of a ship is the part which determines the direction it will go in. Canopus as suggests from this description was known as the navigator by the Egyptians. Canopus is also connected to the concept of time as well as leadership in a dominant manner and having the control to destroy anything that one creates.

Now with Mercury making the connection the issues of communication comes again to the fore. Canopus and Mercury can put forward strong ideas and opinions, but the nature of this star is quite harsh and controls on what is allowed to be said. This leads me to think of controls on the press, on the media and of censorship in general.

There are two big stories going around which I have touched on recently and both again are implicated by this conjunction. The Edward Snowden story is an obvious one which I looked at briefly on my Facebook page yesterday. We had the controversial announcement and revelations about US authorities intercepting and storing internet and phone information as Mercury approached Sirius and now we have the controls clamped down again as the truth gets out.

In Turkey, the protestations over the way the country is governed are continuing and now the police and authorities are back on the streets this morning with a heavy handed approach trying to take back parts of Istanbul and Ankara which were taken over by protesters. I also here that Facebook and other social media may be banned in that country to stop the flow of information, absolutely in line with this planet star connection. We have aggressive Mars starting to approach the stars of Taurus now, and this may inflame things a little more as direct action becomes more prevalent.

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Mercury conjunct Sirius - An important announcement

This aspect is valid today 10th June and tomorrow 11th June 2013

Mercury today connects with one of the great stars of the skies, Sirius, the dog Star sitting in the constellation of Canis Major. Sirius is the the brightest star in the heavens, often known as the "Shining One" of the "Scorcher", the one who burns.

This star has always had a reputation for being associated with linking humble and selfless personal action which suddenly propels one into the spotlight, or doing something sacred and worthy in making a sacrifice for the betterment of people around you. If you think of the "15 minutes of fame" that many people aspire to, then this star could well be the reason for the phrase as it promises a chance to be in the spotlight like the proverbial shooting star before it quickly fades into the night sky.

Mercury's connection brings the quality of communication and language to this star, be it written or spoken and maybe something which is said now will hit the headlines around the world, or the ramifications of an agreement will have repercussions and a very significant effect. This is the start of the retrograde shadow for Mercury and it is possible that anything said or agreed now will come into effect when Mercury stations and turns direct on this spot on 21st July...

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Mercury Retrograde for June and July 2013

Mercury as I write has just entered the shadow zone for it's retrograde period which begins on 26th June. The retrograde hit zone this time around is between 13 and 23 degrees Cancer and lasts until 3rd August although the retrograde period itself will end as Mercury stations on 21st July.

Mercury retrograde brings a lot of fear of things going wrong and if you have Mercury as a personal planet (i.e. you are a Sun Gemini or Virgo), you have it on a significant angle like your Ascendant or Midheaven or Mercury itself is conjunct one of the main angles of your chart, then maybe you tend to feel it more keenly than other people do. Certainly as Mercury grids to a stop either at the beginning of the retrograde period or at the end as it stations, I have found that it seems to have more of a potent effect on us all.

Mercury does rule the mind and the thought processes and here as it turns we will become more reflective and as with all retrograde actions on the planets, a process of review and revision will begin. Mercury is also known as the trickster of the heavens and while stationed or moving backwards, he will play games on you especially if during that time he contacts your natal planets, so be aware.

Ok lets have a quick look at the Rising Signs and how it may affect you personally

Aries Rising – This Mercury Retrograde period may affect issues to do with your family, your home, your domestic situation, relations with women and issues to do with things that have gone before. Maybe events or people from your past will enter your life, maybe you will review your home situation and work out what you need to do to make your abode a better place, might you need to redecorate or rearrange things? Confusion and misunderstandings between you and your family could occur.

Taurus Rising – Mercury Retrograde this time around will affect communications, transport, local issues and maybe your brothers and sisters. Letters, emails or parcels potentially could get lost or people may get the wrong impression about the messages you are trying to put out. This is a time when I would double check any paperwork and documents. Technical issues or transport delays could hamper you and try to reconnect with brothers, sisters and people in your local area.

Gemini Rising -  This time around with Mercury Retrograde you would be well advised to look carefully at your financial situation and what you really value in your life. Do you actually need what you own and are these things you have really serving their purpose? If you are lacking in self worth, why is this? Payments could be delayed or there could be confusion over financial issues now, or you could actually get lucky and receive a windfall.

Cancer Rising – This Mercury Retrograde period occurs in the most personal area of your chart and now you will be reviewing who you really are and how you appear. Do you need a change of image now to bring yourself up to date? Is the way you are expressing yourself really true to yourself or not? This is a time when you must take your own inner feelings and transfer them to the outer you that you show the world; be true to yourself now.

Leo Rising – For you Mercury Retrograde this time is all about retreating into the background a little and finding a little inner peace and calm. This may be a conscious decision or then again circumstances may force you into this action. Whichever way it occurs, you can connect with yourself in a more spiritual manner and possibly you can work out and solve any psychological problems or hang-ups that you have been having recently. Helping other people to improve their lives will bring great satisfaction to you now

Virgo Rising – Mercury Retrograde for you will be a time when other people including friends and groups will play a bigger part in your life than normal. You may catch up with mates and buddies who you haven’t seen in a while or you could feel that some friends have outlived their purpose and you will decide to cut ties with them. Be careful not to get mixed messages from friends as confusion could occur. This is a time also to review your hope, dreams and plans for the future.

Libra Rising – This Mercury Retrograde period will focus on work and career issues. You get a promotion or you may lose your position under this influence. It is a good time to complete work that you had already started, however be careful in taking on any new work clients or contacts during this time as they could cause you problems. Be careful not to make mistakes in your work, check things thoroughly and also be careful how you talk to bosses and senior people as they may take thing the wrong way.

Scorpio Rising – This Mercury Retrograde is a time to review what you believe in, what you know and what you think the future may hold for you. Are you really following the philosophy in life that you are setting yourself or do you need to make a change of course now? This is a great time to re-enter education and to learn something you always wanted to learn. Be very careful if you are taking a long trip or going abroad as unexpected delays and hitches could thwart your best laid plans.

Sagittarius Rising – For you Mercury Retrograde focuses in on issues of sharing and whether you are getting a fair deal from your partner or spouse. This is a time to review debt and pay off monies owed and reassess shared financial issues. Try not to take out new loans or repayment contracts now. Try to purge things out of your life that are of no use and if you need to psycho-analyse yourself you can do this successfully now. In your most intimate relationships you would be best to work out if you can improve these with your partner.

Capricorn Rising – Mercury Retrograde here asks you to review your partnerships, both personal and professional. It may be time to get things out in the open and to discuss the real issues so that you can set a fresh course. Not doing so could lead to confusion, misunderstandings and eventual problems. Partnership issues from the past that may have affected you could come up again. Try not to make new associations with people, or make formal arrangements under this influence.

Aquarius Rising – This Mercury Retrograde period focuses on work, routine and health for you. Are you feeling well and if you are not what are you going to do about it? This is a time to look at your general well-being and to see where you may be able to improve it. Relations with co workers could be difficult now as misunderstandings may happen at work. Try to adjust your work routine and your tasks or even the place where you work to make it better suited to your needs.

Pisces Rising – This time around Mercury Retrograde may blunt your creative edge and you may feel that inspiration is not with you now, so why not try and get some ideas from listening to music or exploring art and creativity done by other people? An person from the past who maybe you fancied may reappear now and if you feel that your emotional life is not as it should be, so maybe now would be a time to spice it up a little; please try not to start up a new relationship now as it may not go to plan. Fun times can be had with children, especially if you connect with them through games and ways of entertainment you enjoyed when you were a child.

Just to let you all know, my diary is still relatively clear at the moment of writing so anyone wishing to have a reading, report or advise from myself, please click on the banners on the right hand sidebar to go to my readings and reports page to order. Thanks…

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Uranus conjunct Alderamin – A sudden change of at the top of society

This aspect will be valid from now until 23^rd August 2013

Uranus has been out of range of any fixed star for at least a year, but now as it moves onto 12 degrees Aries, it start to make a conjunction with the star Alderamin, the star in the constellation of Cepheus, the King. This is a lovely constellation and star that promotes a balance of male and female and seeing harmony on earth and in nature. This is a gentle and yet strong star, determined on one's goals but not aggressively so. Ptolemy said of this star that it had the influence of Saturn and Jupiter, strong and wise but also sober and those under it’s influence would be able wield authority in the manner of a judge or arbitrator.

Now with Uranus making a square to Pluto while making this connection, I think we will see transformation under this influence. Over the year or so that I have been looking at these fixed star aspects, there seems to be a lot of symbolism which occurs, especially when an outer planet connects with a fixed star. Here the symbolism is of male kings and rulers.

I think this transformation will see the sudden removal of people, quite possibly men in power who have been making rules and laying down the law in the form of a king. It is also a possibility that we may see the passing of notable people and those who did act in a harmonious, strong and gentle manner. I can think of four people who fit the bill at the moment. President Assad in Syria still holds on in his position faced by civil unrest and revolution and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey now has serious opposition to his authoritarian way of ruling in his own country. Also two more gentle and notable men in the world are faced by health problems and this conjunction could have an effect on them. The Duke of Edinburgh has been having health problems and so has South African legendary leader Nelson Mandela.

Uranus is also a social aspect and so under this conjunction and this square we may see a rise in people coming out onto the streets in either peaceful or more violent ways to push for change in common values and social causes, again I think of the situation in Turkey which has arisen recently and the way the people have remained generally joyous and peaceful in protest rather than being openly violent.

In your life, it change needs to be made, then you can use this conjunction to make it in the most acceptable manner you can, using strength and force of argument rather than having to resort to using more shocking and unacceptable means.

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New Moon in Gemini hits fixed star Rigel

The new Moon at 17 Gemini today made a direct conjunction with the fixed star Rigel. This star sits on the foot of Orion the hunter, as well as being the last star in the constellation of Eridanus, the river. The ancient story goes that Orion was charged with killing all of the beasts on earth, however for his brazen and rather arrogant attitude, the goddess of the earth Gaia sent the scorpion to sting Orion which it did on his foot (or heel) poisoning him to death.

This is a star that does promise a constant flow of riches and achievements that the waters of the river provide you. It encourages a positive attitude too, especially in spreading knowledge, through one’s actions, examples or ideas, through education and teaching or through the spread of one’s faith for the benefit of others. However, there is a catch. As in the story, there is a chance that you may get over confident of achieving success, and as a result suffer a similar fate as Orion did.

The New Moon here I think was a real boost to us all and probably one of the more positive influences we have had in a while, so if you get projects, ideas and situations or even relationships off the ground now combined with the wonderful energy of the grand water trine we are under, then I think they have a great chance of long term success, so long as you remain sensible and not too over-optimistic.

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Prince Philip goes into hospital for exploratory surgery

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh has had a bit of a tough year so far with regard to health problems although it is not really surprising that a 91 year old man, soon to be 92 is starting to feel the pace of a hectic life. Yesterday  he entered hospital in preparation for some exploratory surgery on his abdomen and this shows up very clearly on his natal chart.

 

Looking at his transits chart, this is very much a tale of Mercury, Jupiter and Pluto with the grand water trine I mentioned yesterday playing it’s part too. We have transiting Mercury ruling his 6th house of health conjunct the Duke’s descendant and natal Pluto which also sits in the 6th> Pluto of course is the planet of destruction and transformation and of things and secrets hidden under the surface. Transiting Pluto is opposing natal Mercury too, although this connection will be fully next year as Mercury sits at 13 degrees Cancer and Pluto has yet to get to this degree yet in Capricorn.

This descendant at 8 degrees Cancer and Pluto at 7 Cancer are in the firing line of the grand water trine now forming in the skies. Neptune the planet of hospitals, of suffering and degrading is making a trine to this spot as is Saturn the planet of harshness, fear and tough times. Now remember what I said yesterday, trines make things happen and they don’t have to be good things either. My hunch is that this grand trine is going to be working on Philip over the next couple of months. Neptune does dissolve whatever it touches and a Saturn trine can prolong a situation making it last much longer than is normal.

Transiting Jupiter rules the 12th house of hospitals and institutions on The Duke’s chart through Sagittarius on the cusp of the 12th house and right now the Duke’s 6th house Mars which makes him so much energy in the daily grind of social events is now under a conjunction from transiting Mars, the planet of action. Here we have direct pro-active surgery to get to the root of a problem.

Now the wild card in all this is Uranus which is now making a square to Philip’s Mercury (ruling the 6th) a trine to his natal Neptune and an tricky little inconjunct aspect to his natal Jupiter. This inconjunct suggests something potentially unexpected being found in the hospital surgery, and as a result and adjustment having to be made, although the action today may already be the result of this happening, it is hard to tell exactly. What I can say is that this grand water trine, Uranus and Pluto are not moving too far in the next couple of months and with Saturn placed in the 10th house close to the Duke’s Midheaven, the public fears over his health will continue for some while longer… 

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The Grand Water Trine of Summer 2013 (or Winter if you are in the Southern Hemisphere)

Here we go, the major planetary formation of June, July and into August starts to form in the next couple of days as we get a little taster of what is to come. Right now Mercury and Venus now in Cancer are moving in to form a Grand Water trine with Saturn and Neptune which themselves are making a lovely trine from Scorpio to Pisces. Following on these two scouts laying down the path we have the Sun, then Jupiter and Mars which will all move into range in the early degrees of Cancer between now and the start of August completing the Grand Trine.

So what will this mean to us all? Well the base structure of the Saturn Neptune trine looks really positive. Neptune in Pisces is pure inspiration, it rules one's dreams, deception, escapism, spirituality and suffering too. Saturn in Scorpio is hard and uncompromising and it does bring limitation and rules fear and harshness but here is also the potential for growth, solidity, ambition and slow steady progress. If you use these planets in a positive manner you can use your intuition to make your dreams into reality or your faith can solidify. The down side is that you use deception and the more shadowy side of Neptune's influence it can bring the weight of the law down upon you. The choice is yours as the energy is here.

The planets coming along to complete the trine bring different influences to the picture. Right now we have communication and ideas to protect yourself as well as issues coming along from the past to the past through Mercury all of which can be boosted by Neptune and Saturn.

Venus brings issues of money and relationships (from the past perhaps) to the fore too as well as compassion and caring and beauty. These will be important keywords as Saturn and Neptune bring these things into reality if you really want them to happen.

The Sun's energy will enthuse this grand trine in early July, Jupiter brings expansion and optimism, faith, confidence and maybe international opportunities and then Mars brings strength, determination and action to put all of these factors together.

For any water sign person or those of you with strong water links on your chart, this could be a summer of unlimited opportunities and a chance to make significant progress as Saturn and Neptune combine and enthuse and build. Even if you are not a Cancerian, Scorpio or Pisces, there are wonderful opportunities on offer here wherever these planets touch your chart. For myself a Sun sign Leo, Saturn is just in my 1st house, Neptune my 5th and the other planets in my 9th so maybe for me expansion will come internationally (9th) and I can use my creative talents (Neptune in 5th) to make significant personal progress (Saturn in 1st) - let's hope so :)

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Turkey in turmoil as anti Government protests increase

What started out as a peaceful demonstration 4 days ago against the demolition of Gezi Park, one of the few green spaces in Istanbul to make way for a shopping mall, has mushroomed into an all encompassing mass protest against the government of Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been in charge in Turkey for 12 years. The ruling AKP party has become more authoritarian and hard line in recent years and the fear has been that Turkey’s secular stance is being eroded away in favour of more Islamist policies. Even recently the Turkish government brought in a new law banning the sale of alcohol between 22.00 and 06.00 hrs inflaming tensions in the more Western leaning Turkish cities of Istanbul and Izmir and the coastal resorts which rely on the tourist trade for much of their income.

Turkey was formed on 29th October 1923 at 20.30hrs in Ankara. The chart (above) has no planets in earth, and we have 4 planets in air and 5 in water. The Turks are an emotional people not only shown by the amount of planets in water signs, but also by the Moon Pluto conjunction straddling the Cancerian ascendant. They are hugely proud and protective of their nation. We find Uranus at the top of the chart as part of a grand water trine. Turkey was formed after a war of independence to expel foreign forces from Constantinople and Smyrna (now Istanbul and Izmir) in the west of the country, lead by Mustafa Kamal Ataturk. The grand trine shows that conflict, Uranus conjunct the Midheaven shows the rebellion taking the leadership through a social movement (Venus) via a brutal war (Pluto).

We have a very full 5th house and the Turks are huge sports fans and culture and dance are still very important in daily life, however Saturn here also shows restrictions. Conjunct to Mercury and trine to the Moon, we see that any criticism (Mercury) of the state (Saturn) by the people (Moon) will be cracked down upon heavily. It also shows that any communication, via mobile phone, or internet will ultimately be under the strict control of those in charge.

Turkey is a country of huge contrasts. For example Turkey traditionally is a Muslim nation, however with Uranus in the 9th house in Pisces (the spiritual sign), it shows very much a secular take it or leave it attitude with regard to faith. We find Neptune in 3rd house in Leo of the press and media square to outgoing Jupiter and Venus. The press and TV in Turkey is very colourful and full of sensationalist stories of who is going out with who (5th house). The Turks are very much a nation obsessed with affairs of the heart. Their attitude to alcohol is also interesting, the square shows a very liberal attitude to drink, something you would not find in other countries in the region.

Mars in the 4th house of the land and home show a violent underbelly to the country, especially with regard to the Kurdish minority. Mars makes a destructive square to Pluto and the Cancerian ascendant. This is an in house problem for the Turkish nation, and something that will forever be there for the police and military to deal with. Underground action against the people and the nation by those who oppose the national view of those in control will always unfortunately tend to end in bloodshed.

The protest came as the transiting North Node made a conjunction to the Turkish 5th house Venus. Venus rules social places as well as trees and parks and the environment and in the 5th house showing Gezi Park as a space of entertainment and fun as well as for children (also rules by the 5th house). That Venus in the natal chart makes a square to Neptune, an indication of the collective so this twist of fate was waiting to happen as the Nodes came calling. At this time Venus and Mercury were moving into Cancer and hitting the Turkish Ascendant and here were the collective gathering in the park to protect the environment (Venus) and freedom of speech (Mercury) and the future of the country in true Cancerian style.

Also in the 5th house you can see transiting Saturn, the planet of structure and harsh words, the authoritarian voice of the zodiac sitting on the Turkish Sun and here was the edict from the government that their rule was law and nothing was going to stand in the way of this building project and development (Saturn). You can also see that transiting Neptune is trine to this conjunction in the house of beliefs and freedom, so there was a clash brewing here. Trines I find are very underestimated in bringing difficult issues to a head as the energy flows incredibly easily. If that energy happens to be negative energy it can multiply very quickly and as you have seen across Turkey, this is what has happened, the touch paper was lit and the massed opposition ranks of people who oppose Erdogan’s policies stood up to let their views be known.

There was more fuel to this fire if you see that Pluto’s ruler Scorpio sits encased in the Turkish 5th house too bringing another connection to this house. Natal Pluto conjunct to the Ascendant, the brutal and authoritarian power hidden beneath the surface in the Turkish 1st house is under attack from the Uranus Pluto square, bringing potential transformational change and a revolutionary feel to the country. Neptune is also making a trine to the Cancerian Ascendant, so not only the masses (Neptune) after the Prime Minister (Sun), they will also have an eye on the direction the whole country is taking (Ascendant) and the ideological beliefs (Neptune) that underpin it (9th house).

Today, Mars is making a trine to the Turkish natal Mars, so I suspect the violence will continue apace and with transiting Jupiter trine to the Saturn/Mercury conjunction the call for freedom and liberation of free speech and of authoritarian rule will continue too, albeit from behind the veil of the 12th house, the underground resistance in the face of media crackdowns and controls.

With transiting Pluto on the descendant and Uranus in the 10th house of Government and the ruling classes, the potential for a big change in the way Turkey was governed was always going to happen however the Lunar eclipse of the 25th April beautifully predicted this crisis as it landed bang on the Turkish Sun in that contentious 5th house where all the trouble is stemming from. Lunar eclipses are often emotional in nature and in a national chart they can signify the people (Moon) this time eclipsing the leader (Sun). If I were Recep Tayyip Erdogan, I would now be diving for cover as his days as leader may be numbered…

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