November 6 — North America: UNITED STATES
Despite lingering high unemployment and slow economic growth, U.S. President Barack Obama defeats his Republican contender Mitt Romney and wins a second term in office. Democrats strenghten their majority in the Senate and the Republicans keep control over the House of Representatives.
November 11 — Middle East: SYRIA
During the talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, Syria’s various opposition groups, including the Syrian National Council, fighting to overthrow the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, unite under the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. (November 13): France is the first country to recognize the opposition coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. (November 20): The United Kingdom similarly recognizes the Syrian opposition coalition.
November 14 — East Asia: CHINA
China’s Communist Party concludes a week-long congress that takes place once every ten years and marks the leadership change. Vice President Xi Jinping replaces Hu Jintao as party chief. He is also expected to become president in March 2013. Under his leadership, China faces such pressing issues as environmental challenges, social inequality, and rampant corruption.
November 14 — Middle East: ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Israel launches a military offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing the commander of Hamas’s military wing, Ahmed Jabari. The offensive was preceded by waves of rockets fired by the Palestinian militants into southern Israel. Israel says that the objective of the operation is to destroy two dozens of rocket-storage places and Hamas facilities. (November 21): Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire brokered by Egypt. Israel agrees to stop the offensive and targeted killings and Hamas agrees to stop attacks on Israel, including rocket attacks. In the week of confrontation, 158 Palestinians are killed (mostly civilians) and six Israelis.
November 18 — North America/East Asia: UNITED STATES/MYANMAR/THAILAND
U.S. President Barack Obama pays an official visit to South East Asian countries. In Thailand, he meets with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and King Bhumibol. In Myanmar, he meets with President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He also gives a speech at Rangoon University. This first visit to Myanmar by a U.S. president is meant to show support for the country’s reforms.
November 22 — Africa: EGYPT
Egypt’s president, Mohammed Mursi, issues an emergency decree that grants him extensive powers to make decisions that cannot be challenged by the judiciary, and gives the constituent assembly until January to complete drafting a new constitution. The move causes waves of popular protests.
November 30 — International Organizations/Middle East: UNITED NATIONS/PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
The Untied Nations General Assembly votes 138 against 9 to recognize Palestine as a non-member observer state. Forty-one countries abstain, while Israel and the United States vote against the move. Although the move is mostly symbolic, it gives Palestine access to UN organizations, such as the International Criminal Court. The Palestinians are seeking UN recognition of a Palestinian state, which would include the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.
November 30 — Africa: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
After 11 days of holding the town of Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s main city in the east, M23 rebels withdraw upon the government’s agreement to release some of their supporters. M23 rebels, also known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army, are led by officers of former CNDP rebel group, including General Ntaganda who is accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court. M23 refers to March 23, 2009, when the CNDP and the government agreed to integrate the rebels into the country’s armed forces, but some of them later deserted. The rebels vow to topple the DRC’s president, Joseph Kabila. The UN accuses Rwanda and Uganda of backing the rebels who are mostly ethnically Tutsi.