"The natal chart is like a seed and progressions are the unfolding in time of that into the plant it is to become. Transits, are like a daily weather report. In political astrology, these three factors have to be taken into account!"
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NewsScope has been published continually since 1997. Links to NewsScope articles from September 2015 through December 2017 can be found in the Menu. Back copies dating from 2009 through 2015 are at
For NewsScope blogs dating from October 25, 1999 through March 31, 2009, visit StarIQ/NewsScope.
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Recent NewsScopes
Jan. 1, 2018 - Trump’s 2018 prospects; Protests break out in Iran; Gordon Ramsay, Celebrity Chef.
Jan. 8, 2018 - Trump’s 12th House Pluto; Saturn Opposite the U.S. Venus; Wolff’s “Fire and Fury”
Jan. 15, 2018 - Astro-Anatomy of a Comment; Total Super Blue Moon Eclipse; Stormy Daniels
Jan. 22, 2018 - Saturn opposes the U.S. Venus; Laurence Fink Touts CEO responsibility; Tom Petty
Jan.29, 2018 - Fake News and the Uranus-Neptune Cycle; Top 5 Astro-Evenys for Feb; Wynn Takes a Hit
Feb. 5, 2018 - Rosenstein, FBI Deputy Director under Fire; Millennials Embrace Astrology; The NYSE
Feb. 12, 2018 - Rachel Brand Heads for Walmart; The Pentagon; Kim Yo Jong’s Historic Visit
Feb. 19, 2018 - Mueller’s Indictment of Russian Meddlers; The Nov. election; Melania Trump’s Juno
Feb. 26, 2018 - March for our Lives; March’s Top Five Astro-Events; The NRA’s Saturn Return
March 5, 2018 - Washington Chaos Going Global; “Trade Wars are Good”; Hope Hicks’ White House Diary
March 12, 2018 - Trump’s Chart in Pyongyang; Stormy Daniels Sues Trump; Oprah Winfrey in 2020?
March 19, 2018 - Stormy Daniels’ Birth Time; Trump and Black Moon Lilith; Stephen Hawking is Smiling.
March 26, 2018 - China Counter-Attacks in Growing Trade War; Top 5 Astro-Events for April; John Bolton
April 2, 2018 - Health Care Industry; Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream; the astrology of Royal Weddings
April 9, 2018 - The NYSE and Trade War; Mark Zuckerberg goes to DC; Kate Hudson’s Love Life
April 23, 2018 - Kim Jong Un, Peacemaker; Michael Avenetti, Stormy’s attorney; Allison Mack arrested.
April 30, 2018 - Trump’s High-Risk Style; May’s Top Five AstroEvents; Paris Hilton’s Online Fame
May 7, 2018 - Trump’s New Lawyer, Rudy Giuliani; NASA’s Mars Mission; Cheryl Burke’s Venus-Pluto.
May 14, 2018 - Strong and Proud, Israel at Seventy; Viktor Vekselberg; Hawaii’s Kilauea and asteroid Pele
May 21, 2018 - Trump’s 2018 Solar Return; Michael Avenatti Update; Meghan Markle's Part of Fortune.
May 28, 2018 - Kim Jong Un Makes Nice; June's Top 5 Astro-Events; Meghan Markle and the Great Mother
June 4, 2018 - Mars Rx in Aquarius; SpaceX Becomes Profitable; Roseanne Barr’s 12th House Mars
June 11, 2018 - Saturn-Pluto Culture Wars; Ambas-sador Dennis Rodman; Spade and Bourdain
June 18, 2018 - Trump on the Offensive; July 12 Solar Eclipse; Cristiano Ronaldo, the best soccer player
June 25, 2018 - Immigration Crisis; China Imposes $50b Tariffs; Atul Gawande, Healing the Health System
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July 2, 2018 - Mexico has a new President; July’s Top Five; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Upset Victory.
July 9, 2018 - The Trump-Putin Summit; Jefferson and Adams Validate the U.S. Horoscope; Mr. Rogers.
July 16, 2018 - Louise Hay, th Queen of the New Age, how thoughts become reality with Mercury-Chiron.
July 23, 2018 - The Lunar Eclipse as Mercury Rx; Roe v. Wade Re-Visited; Maria Butina, the Kremlin link
July 30, 2018 - Astro-Event #6: the Uranus Station; August’s Top Five Astro-Events; Tech Takes a Dive
Aug. 06, 2018 - Neptune Conjoining the U.S. Prog. Sun; Hemingway’s Over-Active Mars.
Aug. 13, 2018 - Trump Declares Economic War on Turkey; Women Politicians Trending Up; Omarosa
Aug. 20, 2018 - Mercury in Trump’s 12th House; The Trump Taj Mahal; Brennan: “Trump is Drunk on Power”
Aug. 27, 2018 - Trump’s Midheaven Eclipsed; Mike Pence, Waiting in the Wings; September’s Top Five
Sept. 03, 2018 - Election Day Astrology; SA-PL and Neo-Nazis on the Rise;
Pope Francis Under Fire
Sept. 10, 2018 - Crazytown, USA; Canopy Growth, Weed Stocks Soaring; Jocelyn Bell Burnell recognized.
Sept. 17, 2018 - The Astrology of U.S. Disasters; Hurricane Florence; Willie Nelson Gets Political
Sept. 24, 2018 - Echoes of Anita Hill; October’s Top Five Astro-Events; Chris Hedges on Totalitarian Capitalism
Oct. 01, 2018 - Senator Flake Moved by Venus; Brett Kavanaugh’s Mercury-Neptune; Elon Musk's tweets
Oct. 08, 2018 - The #MeToo Movement advances; October’s Astro-Event #6; Is it Art? The Banksy Effect
Oct. 15, 2018 - Jamal Khashoggi’s Silence is Deafening; Market Sell-Off; Two Stars are Re-Born
Oct. 22, 2018 - Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman; Post-Election Developments; Elizabeth Warren in 2020
Oct. 29, 2018 - Mars in the U.S. 4th House; Top Five for November; Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s Next President
Nov. 5, 2018 - Mueller’s Mercury-Uranus Config; The Migrant Caravan; Gwyneth Paltrow and Madame Ovary
Nov. 12, 2018 - Matthew Whitaker’s App't; Florida Re-Count; Somalian Ilhan Omar Elected to Congress.
Nov. 19, 2018 - California’s Uranus Return; To Brexit or Not to Brexit; The 2020 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction
Nov. 26, 2018 - Top 5 Astro-Events for Dec; Trump fights for the Wall; Nancy Pelosi Fights for Leadership
Dec.03, 2018 - Mercury Direct Energizes Mueller; George H. W. Bush, the 41st President; Barbara Bush,
Dec.10, 2018 - Echoes from the Watergate; NYSE Update; Ariana Grande’s Generational Influence
Dec. 17, 2018 - Top Five for Trump in 2019; Chief Mick Mulvaney; Loesser's "Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Dec. 24, 2018 - The Jan. 5 Solar Eclipse Lilith Derails the Markets; Trump Signs Farm Bill, legalizes hemp.
Dec. 31, 2018 - January’s Top Five; Mitch McConnell, GOP Leader; Joe Biden, the Leading Dem. candidate.
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Recent NewsScopes
Jan. 7, 2019 - Trump Threatens lengthy; China’s Slowdown; Merc. Rx on Election Day 2020.
Jan. 14, 2019 - Gov't Shut downs; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Social Media Star; Aquarius Beckoning
Jan. 21, 2019 - Michael Cohen Timeline, with his 15º Cap.Ascendant; Lauren Sanchez, the Other Woman
Jan.28, 2019 - Roger Stone, the Dirty Trickster; Feb.sTop 5 Astro-Events; Tom Brady’s Swan Song
Feb. 4, 2019 - Kamala Harris in 2020; Russia under Pluto spell; Evan Rachel Wood’s Bout with PTSD
Feb. 11, 2019 - AOC’s Green New Deal; Ceres: Co-sponsor; Virginia’s Black Moon Lilith Problem
Feb. 18, 2019 - The U.S. Pluto Return; The 2020 Saturn-Pluto Conjunction; The 2020 Election
Feb. 25, 2019 - March's Top 5 Astro-Events; Nicolas Maduro, Ven.Dictator; Zion Williamson's shoe
March 04, 2019 - Allen Weisselberg, Trump’s CFO; Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius; The U.S. Pluto Return, 2
March 11, 2019 - Ilhan Omar and Eris; Trump’s Progressed Moon; Kane Tanaka, Oldest Person
March 18, 2019 - Saturn-Pluto and Big Oil; Big Oil’s Horoscope; Greta Thunberg Leads Global Movement
March 25, 2019 - Pluto on the South Node; April’s Top Five; Anthony William, Medical Medium celery juice
April 1, 2019 - Adam Schiff Leads Trump Investigation; Boeing’s 737 MAX 8; Jussie Smollett’s Hoax
April 8, 2019 - Joe Biden’s Touchy-Feely Problem; U.S. Scorpio Rising; Mackenzie Bezos, 4th Richest Woman
April 15, 2019 - U.S. Merc and Taxes; Saturn and Pluto Oppose Trump’s Venus-Saturn; Name That Planet!
April 22, 2019 - Trump and the Mueller Report; The U.S. Pluto Return, Part 3; Bernie Sanders leading the pack.
re: AOC birth time - Here is an article with the birth time for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
from the NCGR Newsletter: <snip> “Before we get to the astrology, a shout-out to Anne Ortelee and her student, Arthur Lipp-Bonewits, for contacting AOC's office and getting her birth time. She was born October 13, 1989, 11:50 a.m., in Bronx, New York.”
A. That’s great! Thanks for the data. We’ll have an update on her chart soon.
Re: Buttigieg - Like many, I just read the WP article on this young man from South Bend,
Indiana: Pete Buttigieg. What say the stars? I'm hoping they're more than hopeful. Thanks for your Monday morning enlightenment.
re: Pelosi - What do you think of the fight between Godzilla/ Pelosi and Trump/ KingKong...how do these two find a wayout of this standoff... not really asking about the government shutdown(yes part of it) but more how these two tough peopleever get out of the mud and move things forward and even work together inthe future as it is still awhile till the next election in 2020.... concerning.Look forward to your thoughts
A. As I noted when I looked at Pelosi's chart a few weeks ago, his Mars squares her Mars. It's a classic ego conflict being played out on the national stage... But another look or perhaps deeper look is in order.
re: Pelosi - I was looking for some glimmer of hope over time concerning the Pelosi-Trump standoff and I feel sadly this could be ...the long wait. Thanks for all you do with the great articles... really love them!
re: Gov’t Shutdown - The shutdown in 1995 presaged the fall of Newt Gingrich well before Clinton. Newt was out of the House speakership in late 1998, and out of the House in Jan 1999, all due to his own behaviors. He even took out the next speaker before he ever started, also because of affairs. Clinton, however, did finish his term. And even had positive polling approval after the impeachment.
re: Pelosi - If Trump is ousted, and Pence with him, the leadership will fall to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. Does she have the "right stuff" to connect with the US chart to become President?
Thanks for your thoughts. Always enjoy your Monday morning insights.
re: Ms. Wood - I meant to write the minute I read your article on Ms. Wood. It gave me goosebumps to read it: what she experienced, the astrology correlated with it. Thank you for the work you do, the world is a richer place because of it.
re: Trump/Russia - Trump acts like Putin’s puppy. Russia’s destiny drives Trump. I’m not suggesting/don’t know that Trump is knowingly a Russian agent – but he is undoubtedly a Russian tool – Putin’s useful idiot. Where’s that weak spot in Trump’s synastry?
Thinking out loud: It would make an utterly unforgettable historic study if you could now use that Russian chart to show the connections between Russia’s “big transits/progressions’ and Trump’s pro-Russian decisions. If you could “front run” that analysis before Mueller publishes his report - and send it ahead of time to your contacts @ the NYTimes, Washington Post et al… well. That might be the best astrological prediction/analysis ever. Certainly for this century. And I think you’d be the right person to do this. The moment is now.
A. Thx for the suggestion. I've tried contacting both the NYTimes and WaPo in the past, and a few other reputable papers. They're of one mind in thinking that astrology is for entertainment purposes only, and they won't consider a more serious piece. In any case, the explanation for the Trump-Russia connection would be beyond mainstream readers' comprehension.
re: rapper - Have you profiled Chance the Rapper (Chancellor Jonathan Bennett, born April 16, 1993 per Wikipedia) yet on Neptune Cafe? He’s such a talented rapper but also a social justice warrior. He donated $1M to the Chicago school system and started a Twitter campaign to stop gun violence for 48 hours. His father worked for the Obama administration and some have called on Chance to enter politics. Do you see anything in his chart to indicate how he will grow in political stature and what role he might take? Thanks so much for giving me something to look forward to reading every week! I so appreciate you!
re: candidates - Thanks for printing Ms. Harris' and Ms. Woods' time of birth. About the Kamala Harris article, you wrote: "Most significantly, her Gemini Ascendant conjoins the North Node at 25º Gemini, which is the only link she has to the U.S. Moon at 25º Aquarius." IMO, most astrologers would say her Saturn at 28+ AQ is conjunct the US Moon at 25+ AQ. Your insights into people, nations and events are always valued. Thank you.
A. Thx for the feedback. I use a tight orb of less than one degree to consider whether a candidate is resonating with the US Moon as a symbol for connecting with the American people and their needs. Greater than one degree doesn't make the cut, and this guideline can separate the wannabes from the real contenders, the winning candidates. It's a definitive way of differentiating between the Scorpio Rising and Sagittarius Rising national horoscopes.
re: Pelosi - I'm increasingly believing that if another shutdown is to be averted, and/or anything gets done in DC, like holding the government together and forestalling Trump's worst foreign policy blunders, it will depend on Pelosi and McConnell achieving it through Congress. I know you've done reviews on each of them recently, but what about A) a comparison of their leadership styles, and/or B) a relationship chart for working together? Thanks as always for your insights.
re: Pluto Return - Thanks for all you write. Ever since you said Hillary would not be President (in spite of my most fervent wishes and all those polls saying she was ahead) I totally trust your political assessments. Your column on the Pluto return is sobering to be sure. But there is another strain of conservatism that might need to be recognized. That of the government institutions, and the press, which are still doing their jobs, for the most part. One thing for sure, the American Empire (not that I really love that term) is going into eclipse, if not by being outstripped by the likes of China, India, or Europe, but because we haven't gotten our own house in order, and have let our worst characteristics run amok.
re: Pluto Return - After reading a disgruntled reader's comments, I feel the need to offer my own.
I read your column every Monday, and send it along to several friends, including one who lives in France. We all appreciate the information coming through you from the configuration of the stars. I value the information you so generously pass along to us. The stars say it all and I appreciate you being the messenger. Many, many thanks and great gratitude,
re: Pluto Return – I’m not fond of the term “American Empire”, but doesn’t the 6th house refer to the military? I think I would classify that as one of the institutions that might still be conservative in the institutional sense, not wanting to be over-extended or sent out on a fool's mission, as our history has too often done. But then we always need to be vigilant for military adventurism.
A. American Empire is a useful term, though I don't often bring it up. Yes, don't forget that the US has by far the most powerful military presence in history, with a budget that outspends the next top 12 to 17 nations (depending on who's reporting), and with troops in 170 nations on our planet. Yes, let's hope the institutional framework can hold strong against the various shenanigans perpetuated by both parties....
re: Pluto Return - I respect your position as I do others who feel the same as you. I am sorry I was angry with you last week and I apologize. I had a feeling you would respond to my grumpiness through your weekly column in some fashion. This Pluto transit has been enlightening. It just makes me sad that the situation is what it is today at dinner tables all across America. Like Michael Lutin said in his various stories since 2007-2008 - it's the individual we elect in 2024
A. Thanks for your kind comments, they're much appreciated...
re: Pluto Return - Thank you, once again for an informative morning read. Question: Is there any other candidate with as strong an astrological standing as Trump for the 2020 election; someone whose basket would deserve all the opposition's eggs? Also, regarding Pluto's return: Although we cannot see from past US "returns" what would have manifested with this event, are there instances in other countries/governments that may give us an idea of how this may be reflected in the US's future? You wrote "But major Pluto transits can bring horrific catastrophes, sending the nation back to its core values for the re-birth phase. What form will this Plutonian collapse take?" Could this be a new Revolution--the rise of the proletariat (pitch forks) against the wealthy? Or would the catastrophes be more physical than philosophical?
re: Mueller report - What happened with Mueller's investigation. Nothing on Trump. Seems like much ado about nothing--except for the dudes who went to jail.
A. Stay tuned! Watch as Pluto turns retrograde while oposing Trump's Saturn. Also, Eris is now at 23º44' Aries, exactly squaring Trump's Saturn (orb: 0º04').
re: pages - This is probably nothing but I feel I should mention it , I have this site in a bookmark on my phone and for some reason when I access Neptune cafe it has Not Secure next to the name, this has just started showing up , it doesn’t happen to anything else I go to, was wondering if something is happening with the site...or what ???
A. It's because Google deems my site not mobile friendly. Fixing it would mean re-designing dozens of pages and I don't have the time to do that. Not to worry that it's being hacked though. Thanks for the feedback.
re: candidates - Of all the announced Democratic candidates for president this Swalwell has the most connections to that 25 degree Aquarius moon you reference often in regards to electability. He has Mars 25 degrees Sag, Uranus 25 degrees Scorpio and his moon for noon shows 28 Aquarius so if born earlier in day may actually be right on 25 degrees!
re: UK - There is so much going on right now in the news!! Maybe you already predicted it, but do you think the U.K. will have another referendum? If Brexit happens, the ensuing recession would spread to Europe like a cancer. It’s been funded and supported by the far right and Putin. Putin, of course, wants to restore Russia in its formal glory as a superpower to rival the US, and do do that, he needs to split and divide the West. Ergo, he supports Brexit. Trump wants a hotel in Moscow, and he is willing to do anything to make that happen, no matter what the cost.
re: Trump - Have you predicted yet whether Trump would finish out his presidency? With the Mueller report completed when Mercury is retrograde, would that hinder his case and be good for Trump? Or does the retrograde in this instance signify uncovering of secrets?
re: Trump - After you wrote about Trump's progressed Moon moving on top of his natal Mars, I noticed Trump's recent threat, "I got the cops and the military and Bikers for Trump..." What a fascist!. When I heard that, I thought of his progressed Moon
A. Yes, that braggadocio is a clear manifestation of his martial self-promotion.
re: NewsScope – I’ve been reading NewsScope for ten years, every Monday. Can’t wait til the next issue, thanks.
NewsScope for April 29, 2019
By Michael Wolfstar
Top Five Astro-Events for May
1. Mars opposes Jupiter on the 5th, bringing in expansive, talkative, confrontational and competitive scenarios from the 1st through 6th. Mars here is restless and combative since it’s intensified by a simultaneous quincunx to Pluto. Find a constructive outlet for heightened physical energies through sports or recreational activities. Beware of dogmatic, self-righteous tendencies, both in others and yourself. On the road, drive defensively, and don’t assume others will be following the rules.
2. Saturn conjoins the South Node on the 20th and is in effect all month. If you have planets in the 19º-21º of the cardinal signs, you will be most influenced by this challenging, heavy, fateful dynamic, especially where health, professional expression, and family matters are concerned. Saturn here may bring hardships, burdens, demanding responsibilities, personal tests and/or loss. Understand the limits of your personal power to influence events. Accept that these deep changes are necessary for your next evolutionary phase.
* For more info, read Wikipedia's entry on the American Liberty League
and/or General Smedley Butler
3. The Full Moon in Scorpio takes place on the 18th (5:11 pm EDT), marking an emotional peak on many levels of experience. Family dynamics reach an important turning point, especially regarding generational shifts and milestones. Personal finances may need re-calibrating and re-investing to meet long term goals. The three days leading up to this Full Moon is a good time to rely more on your gut feelings than logic. The chart set for Washington DC features Pluto opposite the Midheaven, indicating radical, historic political changes are unfolding.
4. Ceres octiles (semisquares) Pluto on the 26th and is a significant influence from the 21st through 29th. This astro-event urges one to find a more meaningful path in life since Ceres is in Sagittarius. It’s a good time to go on a personal quest for truth and the higher significance of events, realizing that everything is connected. A spiritual teacher or guru – even an astrologer -- may facilitate your path to self-understanding, notably, where personal conflicts are most evident.
5. Mercury aspects all five of the outer planets from the 29th to 31st, ushering in a phase of fascinating, important, and auspicious messages. Don’t believe half of what you hear on the 29th since Mercury squares Neptune, but afterwards, look for clues to where you may expand your horizons. Mercury here may also bring a warning about how your most reliable, stable relationships, work, and health situations may be vulnerable.
The U.S. Pluto Return, Part 4
Other astrologers have been weighing in on the U.S. Pluto Return, with Ray Grasse looking at the “half return” in the 1930s when Pluto opposed its own position. He describes a fascist coup d’etat that almost took place in 1934, and that was supported by some well-known plutocrats. Many were sympathetic to fascism because the Great Depression was proving that capitalism did not work.
As a reminder, fascism took root in Europe in the 1930s, notably in Germany, Italy and Spain. An ultranationalist, authoritarian government gets things done quickly by regimenting society and the economy under a dictator’s rule. Pluto is naturally associated with this kind of concentrated power. So is Uranus, which brings in the element of radical changes against democratic traditions. The 1930s was also one Uranus cycle ago from where we are now.
Uranus was then and is now in Taurus, where it tends to upset finances, land security and, in general, the foundations of life. The raging Dust Bowl in the 1930s was an ecological disaster, destroying farmlands and people’s livelihood. Similarly today, historic wildfires, flooding, tornadoes and other freak weather events bring regular reminders that global warming is real and a looming disaster for all of humanity.
In 1934 a cabal of industrial and financial plutocrats organized to overthrow FDR and his New Deal. They called their organization the American Liberty League* and announced its creation on August 22, 1934. A chart for this date emphasizes the elite nature of the organization with the Sun in the last degree of Leo and conjunct the royal star Regulus (the same position as Trump’s Leo Ascendant).
Uranus was just entering Taurus, and a Mars-Pluto conjunction (opposite the Moon and quincunx Saturn) reflected the group’s heavy-handed intentions. Over the next two years, and peaking in the 1936 presidential campaign, the American Liberty League staged a media blitz attacking FDR’s New Deal as marking the end of American democracy. Largely funded by the du Pont family, the League faded from history after FDR won the 1936 election.
And now we are in a similar state of affairs with Uranus once again in Taurus and Pluto returning to its natal place in Capricorn. Extremists on both sides of the political spectrum are attacking the capitalist system: leftists want to move toward a more egalitarian society, while on the right the billionaire class has gained control of the political levers and skewed available capital into the top 0.01%.
Trump’s support from wealthy industrialists is largely built on military contractors and executives in the energy sector (oil and gas). They applaud his dismantling of environmental protections and his denial of global warming. Pipelines are now being built that will lock in huge CO2 emissions for the next 40 to 50 years at a time when ecologists tell us we have ten years to reduce emissions.
Last week, as the progressed U.S. Sun was precisely octile (45º) progressed Pluto, Trump declared his absolute supremacy when he stonewalled Congress’s oversight function by refusing to respond to their subpoenas. This imperial attitude is exactly what got Nixon in trouble in 1974 when the U.S. was experiencing a progressed Sun-Pluto conjunction. However, the upcoming lawsuits will likely not resolve before the 2020 election. And with transiting Uranus exactly opposite the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant on Election Day, some political surprise is certainly awaiting us.
