Soccer had a fierce reckoning with heat at the recently concluded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States — a sweltering preview of what players and fans may face when the U.S. co-hosts the World Cup with Mexico and Canada next summer.

With temperatures rising worldwide, scientists warn that staging the World Cup and other soccer tournaments in the Northern Hemisphere summer is getting increasingly dangerous for both players and spectators. Some suggest that FIFA may have to consider adjusting the soccer calendar to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses.

U.S. stock indexes are ticking higher on Wednesday following a better-than-expected update on inflation across the country.

The S&P 500 was up 0.2% in early trading and approaching its all-time high set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 170 points, or 0.4%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was hovering around its own record set the day before.

The Israeli military launched Wednesday rare airstrikes in the heart of Damascus, hitting the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters as clashes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida continued to flare.

Israel's attack came hours after a drone strike on the same building. Syrian state media reported at least one dead and 18 other people wounded. Another strike hit near the presidential palace in the hills outside of Damascus.

Drones targeted oil fields in Iraq's semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region Wednesday, the latest in a series of attacks in recent days that have put several oil facilities out of commission.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which have exacerbated tensions between the central government in Baghdad and Kurdish authorities.

Twenty Palestinians were killed Wednesday in the crush of a crowd at a food distribution site run by an Israeli-backed American organization in the Gaza Strip, the group said, the first time it has acknowledged deadly violence at its operations. The deaths came as Israeli strikes killed 41 others, including 11 children, according to hospital officials.

The Gaza Humanitarian Fund accused the Hamas militant group of fomenting panic and spreading misinformation that led to the violence, though it provided no evidence to support the claim.

Malnutrition rates among children in the Gaza Strip have doubled since Israel sharply restricted the entry of food in March, the U.N. said Tuesday. New Israeli strikes killed more than 90 Palestinians, including dozens of women and children, according to health officials.

Hunger has been rising among Gaza's more than 2 million Palestinians since Israel broke a ceasefire in March to resume the war and banned all food and other supplies from entering Gaza, saying it aimed to pressure Hamas to release hostages. It slightly eased the blockade in late May, allowing in a trickle of aid.

Russian weapons pounded four Ukrainian cities overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, injuring at least 15 people in an attack that mostly targeted energy infrastructure, officials said.

The latest bombardment in Russia's escalating aerial campaign against civilian areas came ahead of a Sept. 2 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Kremlin to reach a peace deal in the three-year war, under the threat of possible severe Washington sanctions if it doesn't.

President Donald Trump on Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of a failed attempt on his life, joining family, friends and close advisers to witness Chelsea's dominating FIFA Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

The president joined the players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament's outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy.

At age 39, Luka Modric is going to try and help restore seven-time European champion AC Milan to glory after one of the most disappointing Rossoneri seasons in recent memory

The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner landed in Italy on Monday for a medical with Milan after saying goodbye to Real Madrid following 13 highly successful seasons in Spain. He was expected to a sign a one-year contract later, with an option for a second season.

An expanded Club World Cup marked by empty seats, slashed ticket prices, searing heat, weather-delayed matches and a criticized field surface ended in a surprise victory by Chelsea, the fourth-best team in the Premier League.

Among the lasting lessons was FIFA's decision to dramatically drop ticket costs as some kickoff times approached, which could impact decisions by fans thinking of attending next year's World Cup. FIFA lowered the cost to attend the Chelsea-Fluminense semifinal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to $13.40 from $473.90, then dropped the Chelsea-Paris Saint-Germain final from $330 to $199.60.