内容摘要：Russian citizenship is now obligatory if you want to work or study or have an urgent medical help, Pavlo says.

Russian citizenship is now obligatory if you want to work or study or have an urgent medical help, Pavlo says.

"He was funny, he was swearing. He's a rock and roll star who uses poems instead of guitar solos."Rhys, a journalist from Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, said it was not until he moved to England for university that he started immersing himself in books and writing.

The 28-year-old described the literary world as "very elite", and said it could "feel alienating and inaccessible"."I didn't have any books in the house growing up. So I was both sort of economically and culturally not really someone you'd associate with the art world," he said."Over time it has given me a lot of self doubt and confidence issues, especially around like, can I function in the world as a writer? But also in a bigger existential way of, this is a clash against the person I'm supposed to be."

Rhys has been writing for a year and a half, and before applying for the competitive Writer at Work programme said he "didn't believe in himself".He said the scheme was "pretty full-on", with eight hours of activities a day helping to develop writing skills and tailored to all 10 emerging writers on the cohort.

Rhys, who has already filled his 125-page A6 notepad up during the scheme, said he was one of the lucky ones getting to "spend 10 days or so really feeling like we can be in this world, without it breaking our bank accounts".

"Even at a practical level, it's given me hope for when I'm scribbling away at the dead of night, it's not a pointless endeavour," he added.Smoke from the fires has also left an estimated 22 million Americans under air quality alerts this weekend.

In northern Minnesota, residents have been warned smoke could reach levels "unhealthy for everyone", while the rest of the state faces air quality warnings for sensitive groups. That alert runs through Monday evening.Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2023, when more than 42 million acres (17.3m hectares) burned.

Fires happen naturally in many parts of the world, including in Canada.But climate change is making the weather conditions needed for wildfires to spread more likely, according to the UN's climate body.