Tuesday, 20 October 2026|News from Switzerland and the world
The city parliament backs buying the former LATI site in Sant’Antonino, but planning funds fail to secure the required majority. A referendum also looms.
20/10 · 01:44 4′
Geneva’s botanical garden holds a frozen reserve of Switzerland’s threatened flora. But keeping seeds cold is only part of the challenge: they must also grow again.
20/10 · 01:42 4′
The Federal Administrative Court has called for changes to intelligence surveillance rules, with confidential exchanges involving lawyers, doctors and journalists a particular concern.
20/10 · 01:41 4′
Voters decide on the Centre Party’s Fairness Initiative on 29 November. Opponents warn of competing tax systems; the party says the choice of model remains open.
20/10 · 01:38 4′
The victim’s identity and the cause of the Via Cortivallo fire remain unconfirmed. A possible earlier incident in the same flat also needs checking.
20/10 · 01:34 4′
Their daughter, now 24, has post-traumatic stress disorder. The prosecutor is seeking multi-year prison sentences over allegations of prolonged violence.
20/10 · 01:32 4′
The award-winning Swiss author has died shortly before his 87th birthday. A planned exhibition will now also become a place of remembrance.
20/10 · 01:16 4′
Graubünden wants stronger prevention and better coordination against domestic violence. The Swiss People’s Party says existing powers are enough, while a petition calls for funding for a women’s refuge.
20/10 · 01:14 4′
All three soldiers aboard an army training boat near Gersau were taken to hospital. Switzerland’s military justice authorities are investigating.
20/10 · 01:12 4′
Three ballistic missiles struck a camp in southern Yemen, injuring around 200 people. The renewed escalation also threatens vital trade routes.
20/10 · 01:50 4′
A three-way meeting on Ukraine could take place in China in November. Trump’s openness is not a commitment, and Zelensky’s exclusion raises a fundamental question.
20/10 · 01:48 4′
Damage after two days of unrest exceeds €1 million. As judges consider detention requests, the mayor fears further violence and young men warn of escalation.
20/10 · 01:47 4′
Several French cities are restricting night-time movement after serious unrest. Some curfews cover only minors; in parts of Paris, adults are affected too.
20/10 · 01:37 4′
Drying springs and chemical contamination are putting small water suppliers under pressure. Two professional bodies want more connections between municipalities — and a rethink of how rainwater is managed.
20/10 · 01:09 4′
Swiss Young Socialists joined a demonstration in Paris on Saturday. They are now coordinating protests against militarisation and austerity on 20 November, but do not expect similar unrest.
20/10 · 01:11 4′
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