Seems like a good idea:

Shortage Storm
A massive storm is raging around the galaxy, destroying most of one random mineral/artifact.
Players will have a shortage of a random mineral/artifact. (They will pull out the mineral/artifact less than others)

Tossing my hat in for this:

Nanite Nebula
A strange cloud of nanites has entered the galaxy.
The nanites are emitting a jamming frequency but
are also attaching themselves to the hulls of any ship
they come across. They also seem to bolster minefields.
Scaning/hacking: -15% effectiveness
Hull: +25% to maximum hull
Planetary attack: +30% of planetary attack
Comm messages cost 6 energy to use
An option to sweep the hull (costing 25 energy) would remove scaning/hacking effect but reduce hull effect to 10%. Planetary effect remains.

Electro-Magnetic Pulse
An unknown has emitted a galaxy wide EM pulse,
reducing the effectiveness of defences and weapons. However
it also renders ships only visible through actual sighting.
Defences/weapons: -30% of maximum defence/attack (either one at random) also reduces planetary attack/defence by 20%.
Cloaking: +50% of maximum cloak (hence you have to look out a window)
An option would appear on your ship tab to use 50 energy to restart the systems on your ship, removing the defence/weapons effect for your ship but also reducing cloak effect to 10%. Planetary effect remains the same.