Global developments reveal systemic crises in housing, climate, and conflict

On 12 November 2026, a series of global events underscored the intensifying friction between state power, corporate interests, and the people affected by them. From the ratification of housing protections in Spain to the resignation of a major tech executive in the US, these developments reflect broader systemic instabilities.

Struggles for rights and representation

In the United States, Scott Colom has won a historic election in Mississippi, becoming the state's first Black senator since the 19th century, according to Morning Star and Democracy Now!. This victory expands the Democratic Senate majority to 55 seats.

In Spain, the interim lower house of parliament ratified new housing measures intended to limit property speculation and evictions. This legislative move follows a general strike and major street protests by millions of people regarding high housing costs, as reported by Morning Star and Democracy Now!. However, the political future of these protections remains uncertain; the main opposition Popular Party has vowed to repeal the measures if they win the national election scheduled for later this month.

Conflict and human rights failures

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with Democracy Now! reporting that an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital killed at least six people, including a surgeon.

In South Sudan, Amnesty International released a report stating that United Nations peacekeepers and national authorities failed to take adequate action despite receiving warnings weeks before an insurgent raid in March. That raid resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people in a village. The human rights group noted that the UN peacekeeping mission failed to reinforce the roughly three dozen troops stationed there until after the massacre occurred, according to Morning Star.

In the context of the war in Ukraine, Morning Star reports that US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with President Vladimir Putin in Abu Dhabi. The meeting followed two days of US-mediated negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations—the first direct discussions in nine months. The talks resulted only in a prisoner exchange agreement.

Corporate power and state surveillance

The technology sector faced significant upheaval as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned. According to Morning Star, his resignation follows an extramarital affair that raised national security concerns in the US, specifically involving an affair with a former Megaspeed executive accused of being a Chinese spy. Media reports also cited an affair with an Nvidia employee.

In Brazil, the government fined Facebook $1.3 million for failing to comply with court orders during an election, according to Morning Star. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, the Indonesian police chief stated that illegal wiretapping had targeted not only the president but many other individuals, Morning Star reports.

In the United States, SpaceX has announced plans for a $24 billion data centre in South Texas, while the Oakland City Council has unanimously extended a moratorium on data centres for one year, according to Democracy Now!.

This piece was generated automatically by an AI model from the sources listed below. It has not been reviewed by a human editor.

Sources

• World in brief: November 12, 2026 — Morning Star
• Headlines for November 12, 2026 — Democracy Now!