NewsScope for April 29, 2003

North Korea Goes Nuclear

Three-way talks between China, North Korea and the U.S. ended abruptly last Thursday when North Korea admitted that it had already developed nuclear weapons and was preparing to make a physical demonstration to prove it. While Washington hawks repeated their warning that Kim Il Jong should learn a lesson from Iraq, the North Korean position was that the lesson learned was to have a powerful deterrent force.

North Korea's horoscope (September 10, 1948; 8:50 pm; Pyongyang*) is dominated by a hyper-defensive Mars in Scorpio. As forecast in the March 11 column, this natal situation is now coming to life due to the current transit of Pluto, which is forming an octile (45 degree angle, also known as a semi-square) to the NK Mars. Normally, the octile is considered a minor aspect, but this octile bridges a network of important aspects, amplifying its influence.

North Korea has a beneficial Moon-Jupiter conjunction in the Eighth House, the house of shared resources. Although the country is notoriously impoverished, the leadership has had enduring relations with China, its political and economic partner. This Moon-Jupiter pairing squares the Virgo Sun, giving the leadership an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

As transiting Pluto is now octile to the NK Mars, it will also form a square to the NK Sun (exact on July 19). This combination marks a deadly battle of wills, and in this case, involves the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Last week transiting Mars was square natal Mars, reflecting the open hostility during the conference. This diplomatic confrontation conceals the very real military option, known in Washington as "Plan B".

Will Saturn Contain SARS?

The relentless spread of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) across the global village is leading to significant economic downturns, especially as fear and rumors about the disease are spreading faster than actual cases. On March 15 the World Health Organization issued a worldwide public health alert on SARS, a date that can be used to define the birth of the disease on the global stage.

The SARS horoscope (12 pm; Geneva, Switzerland) features Mercury forming extremely stressful squares to both Pluto and Saturn. Mercury's symbolism includes its role as an agent, a go-between, and in this case is responsible for the spread of the disease through so-called super-spreaders. Another key feature of this chart is that Uranus had just entered Pisces.**

Uranus here is in a very friendly relation with Neptune in Aquarius since they are in each other's signs. Astrologers often interpret this special planetary relationship (known as mutual reception) as what's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours. In our holistic universe, these celestial vibrations work on a microbial level, and shows the likely way the pneumonia-like virus emerged, that is, by known viruses swapping genetic material to create a new virus.

Saturn is the planet associated with containment. When Saturn enters Cancer in June it will form a favorable trine to Uranus, giving a plausible time frame when SARS could be corralled. (Editor's note: Astrologer Raymond Merriman mentioned the same idea in his Market Week column of April 28.) If SARS is not controlled by late June, then a significant celestial threshold will have been breached. China's and Hong Kong's economies, the recent leaders in the global economy, may then spiral into recession.

Britney Spears Mutates

Britney Spears needed a change. Her third album didn't do as well as her first two, even though it went multi-platinum, and her love life since she and Justin Timberlake split up hasn't improved. So on April 17 she shocked her fans with an entirely new look. After spending hours with her colorist, she now sports a chin-length brunette hairstyle.

Britney Spears was born a free-spirited Sagittarius (December 2, 1981; 1:30 am; Mahon, MS), and has several other planets and asteroids in this sign to make this her dominant vibration. This includes a conjunction between the asteroid Vesta and Uranus in early Sagittarius. Vesta is associated with the principle of focus and dedication, and when conjunct Uranus emphasizes innovation and determination to change.

As every 21-year old experiences, Britney now has transiting Uranus squaring natal Uranus. This aspect leads to the development of a unique personality and a desire to break away from the past. Transiting Vesta was conjunct her Ascendant (representing her physical appearance) when she made her dramatic hairstyle change, and at the same time transiting Uranus was exactly squaring her natal Vesta.

On March 31 Britney was playing with a hotel tycoon in Las Vegas, and happened to win $25,000 at the Palms casino. At the time transiting Uranus was in her Fifth House of gambling and forming a perfect trine to her Jupiter, found on the cusp of the Second House of money. This combination is exactly what astrologers look for when seeking to find the right moment to speculate. Maybe it's a sign that her luck is changing.

*Time rectified by the author. See NewsScope March 10, 2003 for more info on North Korea's natal Mars. Advanced astrologers will note that the progressed  Moon is also involved with the MA=SU/MO-JU configuration.

**See NewsScope, April 8 for more on SARS and the Uranus in Pisces connection.

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