The U.N. human rights chief is calling for an independent investigation into mass explosions from detonating pagers in Lebanon and Syria.

Volker Türk said in a statement Wednesday that “the fear and terror unleashed is profound” and urged world leaders to step up “in defense of the rights of all people to live in peace and security.”

Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, said Wednesday that the group will respond to Tuesday's pager explosion attack with “special punishment."

The group is in a “new confrontation with the enemy," Safieddine said.

Israel’s defense minister has declared the start of a “new phase” of the war as Israel turns its focus toward the northern front against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Speaking to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Yoav Gallant made no mention of the mysterious explosions of electronic devices in Lebanon in recent days. But he praised the work of Israel’s army and security agencies, saying “the results are very impressive.”

Roma fired coach Daniele De Rossi on Wednesday in a move that was surprising despite the Giallorossi going winless in their opening four Italian league matches.

De Rossi, a former Roma captain, was hired in January to replace the fired Jose Mourinho and impressed so much during the second half of last season that he was given a contract extension in June through 2026-27.

Kylian Mbappé renewed his quest to win a European title by scoring for Real Madrid in his first Champions League match with the club.

Mbappé found the open net after a cross by Rodrygo just seconds into the second half of Madrid's 3-1 win over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Endrick became Real Madrid's youngest Champions League scorer on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old Brazil forward scored with a shot from outside the area deep into stoppage time in Madrid's 3-1 win over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The Israeli military said four soldiers were killed in southern Gaza and five others were wounded, with three of them in serious condition.

The deaths on Tuesday came nearly a year into the war in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The army did not describe the circumstances, but Israeli media reported that the soldiers were killed by a hidden bomb that exploded inside a building.

Israel’s military said they have intercepted two suspicious drones that approached Israel from Lebanon and Iraq on Wednesday morning, the day after pagers used by the militant group Hezbollah exploded in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least nine people, including an 8-year-old girl, and wounding nearly 3,000. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel for what appeared to be a sophisticated remote attack.

The Israeli military said they intercepted a drone launched from Lebanon over the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of northern Israel. Another drone launched from Iraq was intercepted by Israeli air force fighter jets. There were no injuries or damage reported.

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators marching in support of Bolivia's former President Evo Morales have clashed with counterprotesters blocking their way, a stark sign of an escalating power struggle in the volatile Andean nation.

In his most brazen show of force yet against current President Luis Arce, Morales sent word to his followers to mobilize what he called a "March to Save Bolivia," a 190-kilometer (118 mile)-trek from the small village of Caracollo to the capital, La Paz, denouncing the government of his protege-turned-bitter rival.

Inflation in the U.K. held steady at an annual rate of 2.2% in August, with higher air fares offset by lower fuel costs and restaurant and hotel bills, official figures showed Wednesday.

The latest reading from the Office of National Statistics means inflation remains just above the Bank of England's target of 2%.