Finally, we get to see it, after all the hype, and besides knowing basically what was in it anyway. On Saturday afternoon, DC time, the Trump/Kushner/Netanyahu ‘Deal of the Century’ for the Palestinians was revealed. The first PDF version was put online at 20:09 UT on the White House site. It is 40 pages long and resembles a brochure advertising for a housing estate. Other commentators have said as much. That will be significant a little later. That is not what is interesting about it, though. Continue reading “Let’s Make a Deal!”
The 2019 Iranian-US drone incident
In the pre-dawn hours of 20 June 2019, the Iranians shot down a US surveillance drone they claimed had violated their airspace. The US made the counter-claim that the drone was in international waters and was a strike against a US asset. This turns out to be a rather interesting story with many implications, at the risk of harping on about the Middle East. However, events there could quickly spiral out of control, into a catastrophic conflict. And we came very close to that very thing in those pre-dawn hours. Continue reading “The 2019 Iranian-US drone incident”
What’s going on with China?
Given recent events in China and what the Trump administration has planned for it in the near future, this will be the first of probably several posts about China, where events are headed and what we can probably expect. We are seeing massive protests in Hong Kong in recent days against the leadership there in relation to what is termed an ‘extradition bill’. But this needs to be seen in context. The fact is that factions in the West have been trying to bring the Chinese government in line with Western financial policies for decades, without success. Continue reading “What’s going on with China?”
The Cancer ingress and two eclipses bring interesting times
The June solstice takes place on 21 June 19 at 3:54 UT. This will be the summer solstice for the northern hemisphere and winter for the southern hemisphere. I do not normally do posts for ingress figures, but this northern summer looks to be out of the ordinary for reasons we will get to. There are also two eclipses this three-month period which we will also cover in this post. Continue reading “The Cancer ingress and two eclipses bring interesting times”
The 2019 SCO Conference and why it was a big deal
(This post follows on a bit from the previous one, about why war with Iran is off the table) The 2019 meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was just held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It is an organization that covers nearly half of the world’s population and 3/5 of the Eurasian landmass. The organization was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, but entered into force on 19 Sep 2003. Since then it has expanded to include India and Pakistan. In addition, Belarus, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Iran all have observer status. Observer states have the option of applying for full membership. Needless to say, the SCO represents a problem for the West, especially Washington, since they were denied observer status. Continue reading “The 2019 SCO Conference and why it was a big deal”
Why war with Iran is off the table (probably)
On the 13th of Jun 2019 there were attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The first took place at 2:12 UT against the ship, Front Altair, followed at 3:00 UT by an attack on the ship Kokuka Courageous. There were no fatalities. Neither ship sank, and all crew members were safely evacuated. The attack was immediately blamed by US authorities on Iran, with no evidence, amid what Iranian authorities claimed were highly suspicious circumstances. Continue reading “Why war with Iran is off the table (probably)”
World Invocation Day/full moon of Gemini
This is simply a notification for subscribers who may have missed the mail-out, and for others who may be interested. The monthly letter, this month for Gemini, is now up on the site. You can see it HERE. It has been quite a full news cycle since the Wesak full moon last month, with some seminal events having taken place, especially with Russia and China, and with tensions rising in the Gulf of Oman. There will be a post on the latter in the next days. In the topics covered, there is the usual look at the sign itself, but then at three important meetings, what the Italians are getting up to, a very brief but different take on Brexit and what it might mean in the longer term, the attitude we should be taking toward the Orient in the West, and more. Have a look!
Gong-gong, our newest addition
We are about to receive another named planet into the astrological fold. It was discovered in 2007 and given the provisional name 2007OR10, originally nicknamed ‘Snow White’. Its new name will be Gong-gong, a water spirit, or demon, in ancient China. We will get to the mythology of our newest member in a bit. The discovery chart is below (bigger): Continue reading “Gong-gong, our newest addition”
What next for the UK?
With the recent announcement by Theresa May that she will be stepping down on June 7th, speculation is rife about who will take her place, and more to the point: What will happen with Brexit? From the last article, there is a forecast that very great changes are coming for the UK. And though that might sound ominous to some readers, it need not be so. There is a wider question, however, which is, what is to happen with the UK? A lot depends of how things go with Brexit. Halloween may be more trick than treat for the UK. Continue reading “What next for the UK?”
Brief analysis of the EU Parliamentary elections
Europe went to the polls over the weekend to cast its votes for the European Parliament. In our preview of the elections, upsets were in the wind, and that is exactly what took place. But it was not in the way that many commentators expected – with a surge of the far-right that seeks to break up the EU. As expected, the populist/nationalists in the UK, Italy and Hungary did well. But the real upsets came from other nations. We’ll get to all that in a bit. Continue reading “Brief analysis of the EU Parliamentary elections”