A Russian missile struck an apartment block in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday, Kyiv officials said, injuring at least...

Raheem Sterling has been omitted from the England squad while Eddie Nketiah was handed a first senior call-up by Gareth Southgate for the games against Ukraine and Scotland. Sterling, who missed the summer internationals when he said he did not feel in the right condition to play, was a candidate for a recall after starting the season in fine form for Chelsea but Southgate preferred Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace. Southgate said it was a tough phone call and Sterling was left annoyed to be omitted, revealing: “It was a difficult call and Raheem is not particularly happy about it.” The England manager, who also chose Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and James Maddison ahead of Sterling, explained that he wanted to stick with the players he used for the June wins over Malta and North Macedonia. “To bring Raheem back in we have to leave someone else out and on the basis of three games [of the league season] I don’t think anyone deserves to be left out,” he added. “It is really good to see Raheem start the season so well and he looks fit and hungry but in those attacking positions behind the No 9 we have a lot of competition.” Arsenal striker Nketiah, who has scored 16 goals for England’s Under-21 team, was selected ahead of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins as the third specialist striker behind Harry Kane and Callum Wilson. “We want to have a look at him,” Southgate said. “He is a young player with a lot of pedigree, a really good finisher and the record goalscorer in the Under-21s.” The manager also kept faith with Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips, who have played no first-team football for Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, with defensive injuries a reason why he picked the former. Southgate said: “With Harry Maguire we have lost a lot of experience in terms of caps at centre halves, we are giving some less experienced players a chance to come into the squad but Tyrone [Mings] is out for most of the season, John Stones is out of this camp, Eric Dier is not in Tottenham’s squad, Conor Coady is in the Championship now so there is a space there. With Harry and Kalvin Phillips, it is not ideal they are not playing football. Declan Rice is the only English player to start this weekend as a single pivot and Kalvin is the next best option.” Jordan Henderson, who has moved to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, retained his place in the squad with Southgate saying his international future could depend on the standard of the Pro-League. “The key as we move forward is the physical intensity of the league,” said Southgate. “Because of the heat as well, whether that will allow him to perform at the level we need; that is a huge consideration.” In a defence without the injured Stones, Mings and Luke Shaw, there were call-ups for Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guehi, Lewis Dunk and the uncapped Levi Colwill. “He is doing really well,” Southgate said of Colwill. “He is progressing. We really liked him at the end of last season with Brighton. He had a really good tournament with the Under-21s so he showed under pressure he could cope. He has started well with Chelsea in a slightly different position.” Full squad Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal) Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City) Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) Forwards: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) Read More Manchester United left with Luke Shaw injury dilemma Why are England wearing their blue kit against Spain? What time is the Champions League group stage draw today? What time is the Champions League group stage draw today? Champions League group stage draw LIVE: Man City, Man Utd and more discover fate Is the Champions League draw on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday allowing the Pentagon to tap an additional 3,000 military reservists to support the US mission in Europe to bolster Nato amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The additional troops will join the estimated 100,000 US service members already on the European continent. "These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations,” Lt Gen Douglas Sims told Military.com of the move. The current US mission in Europe, dubbed Atlantic Resolve, began in 2014, as Russia annexed Crimea and put pressure on Ukraine’s Donbas region, a prelude to its wider invasion in 2022. So far, the US has sent more than $76bn in aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, more than $46bn of which has been military-related. The additional US forces came as President Biden made a high-profile swing through Europe for Nato summit in Lithuania on Wednesday. On Thursday, speaking from Helsinki, Mr Biden reiterated US support for Nato. “There’s overwhelming support from the American people. There’s overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate, in both parties,” he said, though he conceded “some extreme elements” of the Republican Party feel differently. The previous day, Mr Biden voiced his awe at the “unbroken” people of Ukraine,” who had shown “incredible dignity” in the face of Russia aggression. “One country cannot be allowed to seize his neighbour territory by force,” Mr Biden said. The US visit to Europe was not without its complications. Shortly before the Nato summit, Mr Biden threw cold water on the idea of Ukraine joining the defensive organisation in the near term. “I don’t think there is unanimity in Nato about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the Nato family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war,” he told CNN last week. The president also said that Ukraine would need to make reforms in terms of “democratization” before joining the alliance. Read More Thousands of Ukraine civilians are being held in Russian prisons. Russia plans to build many more Marjorie Taylor Greene’s antics show that the 2024 election will be about America’s role in the world Pentagon says cluster munitions have arrived in Ukraine The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

National Rice Week, back this September (11-17 September), is the perfect opportunity to widen your recipe repertoire and discover great value meal ideas to feed all the family. The annual campaign run by the UK Rice Association aims to raise the profile of the British rice sector and encourage more people to choose rice, whether that’s demonstrating the simplicity of cooking it at home or being first choice when eating out. Showcasing dishes using a variety of rice grains, we’ve got seven super simple new recipes for you to try, all of which are tasty, easy to follow and make the most of leftovers and store cupboard staples – like rice! Not only is rice super versatile – in fact, rice is one of the few foods that can be enjoyed sweet or savoury, hot or cold and for every meal of the day – it is also gluten-free and offers a host of nutritional benefits too. With seven dishes using seven types of rice, there’s a new recipe to try every day of the week. Creamy mushroom and chicken rice Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced (230g) 3 garlic cloves, sliced 300g mushrooms, sliced 300g Bomba rice 1 litre chicken stock ½ pack (10g) flat-leaf parsley, chopped 4 tbsp sour cream 2 chicken breasts (skin off) Method: Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based casserole dish over a moderate heat, add the leeks and cook for about 6-7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further minute. Add rice, stock and give the rice a good stir. Cover the pan and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and the grains are just cooked through. Stir in the parsley, sour cream and season to taste. In the meantime, pan fry the chicken in a non-stick pan with a little oil until cooked throughout. To serve, chop up the chicken, then add it to the pan with the rice. Mix to combine. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Cooks tip: Add some chorizo for extra flavour. Sticky chicken rice bowls Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients: For the rice: 6 spring onions chopped (90g) 1 tbsp coconut oil/olive oil 200g Jasmine rice 400ml coconut light milk 200ml water For the dressing: 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp brown rice miso 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp sriracha 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 chicken breasts (skin off) 1 tbsp olive oil To serve: 2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts Handful coriander/mint 1 spring onion sliced Method: To make the rice, fry the spring onion in a large pan with the oil. Now add the rice, coconut milk and water. Stir then cover pan with lid and simmer until the liquid is absorbed (12-14 minutes). Once the liquid is absorbed, turn off the heat keeping the lid on the rice for 10 minutes. Season to taste. For the dressing, add all the ingredients to a jar and mix to combine To cook the chicken, pre heat oven to 180C. Score the chicken breasts and heat the oil in a griddle or frying pan. Cook the chicken for 7-8 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large baking tray and spoon over the dressing. Bake for 5 minutes until they are bubbling. To serve, spoon the coconut rice into bowls, top with the chicken and all the garnishes. Cook’s tip: You can swap the chicken for salmon, tofu or aubergine. Herby rice with harissa roast tomatoes and feta Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 200g brown rice For the tomatoes: 300g cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp olive oil For the harissa dressing: 2 tbsp harissa/rose harissa 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon juice To stir in: 150g feta 10g fresh dill, chopped 15g fresh mint, chopped Method: Cook the rice as per pack instructions. To cook the tomatoes, preheat the oven to 180C. Add the cherry tomatoes to a large baking tray and toss them in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Bake on for 20-25 minutes or until soft and browning a little. Set aside. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a jar and mix to combine then season to taste. To sever, toss the rice with the dressing, fresh herbs and feta. Top with the roast tomatoes. Cook’s tip: Make a vegan version by swapping the feta for vegan feta or crispy tofu. Rice salad with salmon, greens and lemon tahini dressing Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 200g long grain rice 2 salmon steaks (240g) 1 onion, sliced 100g cabbage greens 1 courgette sliced (200g) For the lemon tahini dressing: Juice of ½ lemon 2 tbsp runny tahini 1 tbsp olive oil 50ml water To serve: Fresh mint Method: To make the rice salad, cook the rice as per the pack instructions. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, pan fry the salmon steaks on a little oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside and flake up when cool. In a separate frying pan, add the onion and fry for 5-6 minutes. Now add the cabbage and courgette and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add in the cooked rice. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a jar and mix to combine. To serve, add the rice and greens to a large bowl, add the flaked salmon and toss lightly to combine. Serve with dressing and fresh mint. Cook’s tip: This also works well with a harissa or classic vinaigrette dressing. Veggie biryani with crispy tofu Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes Ingredients: For the biryani: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, sliced finely (120g) 2 carrots, chopped up finely (200g) 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ red chilli or ½ tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 3 tomatoes, chopped (350g) 200g basmati rice 500ml vegetable stock 1 can coconut milk (400ml) 150g frozen peas For the crispy tofu: 1 x 200g block firm tofu cut into medium-sized slices 1 tbsp oil To serve: Fresh coriander Method: To make the Biryani, add the oil to a large saucepan pan, heat to medium then add the onions, carrots, garlic, chilli and spices. Fry on a low heat for approx 6-7 minutes until soft. Now add the tomatoes, rice, stock and coconut milk – simmer until the rice is cooked (15-20 minutes) Stir in the peas 2 minutes just before the rice is cooked. Season to taste. To make the crispy tofu, heat a frying pan to medium and add the oil to the pan. Add the tofu to the pan, fry on each side for a few minutes, turning carefully until crispy. To serve, top the rice with the tofu and fresh coriander. Cook’s tip: The rice works really well with prawns or chicken. Sticky mango rice bowls Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 100g sushi rice, pre-soaked 250ml plant based milk ½ can coconut milk (200ml) 3 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract To serve: 1 ripe mango sliced 4 tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted Pistachios Method: In a medium pan, combine the sushi rice, plant based milk, coconut milk and sugar and stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes or until the rice is tender and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract. To serve, divide into bowls and top with the mango, coconut and pistachios. Add a little additional coconut milk if needed. Cook’s tip: This makes a lovely dessert but also can be eaten in the morning for breakfast. Cheesy pea arancini with garlic mayo Makes: 16-18 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes Ingredients: For the arancini: 800g leftover risotto of choice 150g frozen peas, defrosted Juice of ½ lemon 100g mature cheddar grated To coat the arancini: 200g toasted bread 50g plain flour 2 eggs, beaten with 1 tsp water To serve: Garlic mayo Fresh herbs Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Method: To make the arancini, mix the leftover risotto with the peas, lemon juice and cheddar, seasoning to taste. Scoop up a golf ball sized amount and roll into a ball. Place the balls on a plate ready for rolling. To make the crumb, break up the toast a little and add to your food processor and blitz until you get a fine crumb and add to a shallow dish. Add the plain flour to a shallow bowl and the beaten egg to another. Roll each arancini in a little flour, then egg and finally coat in the breadcrumbs. Repeat. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil and add the balls. Bake for 25 minutes – turn halfway through. To serve, top with a little olive oil and fresh herbs. Cook’s tip: Also delicious with some mozzarella in the middle of the arancini instead of the cheddar. For more information see: www.riceassociation.org.uk or www.facebook.com/TheRiceAssociation Read More Three healthy recipes to get back on track after summer Is bottomless prosecco going to be killed off by climate change? Budget Bites: Three ways to pimp up university student classics Epicurus: American fast food meets the Middle East in Camden Market ‘How being thrifty in the kitchen helped me get on the housing ladder’ How to make spinach and mushroom quiche

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