tv BBC News BBC News February 5, 2024 6:30pm-7:01pm GMT
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who is recuperating, they have wife who is recuperating, they have three small children to think about and now these additional duties as well as a natural, concerned that he will have who is being diagnosed with cancer. he will have who is being diagnosed with cancer-— will have who is being diagnosed with cancer. , ., , with cancer. he is “uggling a number of thins, with cancer. he is “uggling a number of things. caring — with cancer. he isjuggling a number of things, caring for _ with cancer. he isjuggling a number of things, caring for his _ with cancer. he isjuggling a number of things, caring for his wife, - of things, caring for his wife, supporting her and looking after three young children and now helping his father publicly and some of the public duties, we know the prince of wales will be taking on some of the king duties going forward. kensington palace have no official comment at the moment but we know the prince of wales is in regular contact with his father.- the prince of wales is in regular contact with his father. thank you. we will keep _ contact with his father. thank you. we will keep you _ contact with his father. thank you. we will keep you up-to-date - contact with his father. thank you. we will keep you up-to-date with | contact with his father. thank you. i we will keep you up-to-date with any we will keep you up—to—date with any news announced by buckingham palace tonight but the king is being treated for cancer, the statement we've had from
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the palace and continue with state duties but will step back from public engagement during his treatment a separate issue was noted and his majesty said they have commenced a schedule of regulatory which is being advised by doctors to postpone public facing duties throughout this period and will continue to undertake state business and official paperwork as usual, the king is grateful to his medical team for the swift intervention which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure.
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spokesperson for the king is not revealed what type of cancer the king has but has said it is not prostate cancer. and following surgery for an enlarged prostate, a condition the palace are described as benign. let's bring in a royal correspondent who is with me in the studio and not of optimism but quite clearly for the king and for the family, there will be a element of shock as the wrist or anyone who has the snooze. shock as the wrist or anyone who has the snooze-— shock as the wrist or anyone who has the snooze. anyone who is diagnosed with cancer in — the snooze. anyone who is diagnosed with cancer in this _ the snooze. anyone who is diagnosed with cancer in this way, _ the snooze. anyone who is diagnosed with cancer in this way, it _ the snooze. anyone who is diagnosed with cancer in this way, it is - the snooze. anyone who is diagnosed with cancer in this way, it is a - with cancer in this way, it is a shock for the family and the king at 75 years old is very active and he
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eats well and really, up until it is admissions to hospital for the enlarged prostate which is on the 26th of january, enlarged prostate which is on the 26th ofjanuary, i think it is fair to say that there haven't been any issues at all but this would come as a surprise but clearly there was an issue and what we understand is when he was having this procedure which as we all know is a common procedure in a common issue for men of a certain age, clearly, something else was discovered and when a hospital, we were told that he was there for one night and possibly three nights in a think he stayed in for three nights and was released last monday but the pictures when he was leaving hospital and waving to the cameras and as he was waving to the cameras yesterday, when he went to church,
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we had these released today and no further details as to exactly what cancer we are talking about understood not to be prostate cancer but was discovered while the issue of the enlarged prostate was under examination. no further details but we learn from the statement that he has started already a schedule of regular treatments and no details as to exactly what that will be and we know he has been advised by doctors to not undertake any strenuous public engagements or any out and about. he public engagements or any out and about. . ., ., public engagements or any out and about. _, ., ., , about. he will continue to do his boxes. realistic _ about. he will continue to do his boxes. realistic business - about. he will continue to do his boxes. realistic business in - about. he will continue to do his boxes. realistic business in his. boxes. realistic business in his official paperwork is usual in the red boxes. he says he is grateful to his medical team for his swift intervention and that's probably the most important mind because as we all know with cancer, catching it really is important and i would
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imagine that the royal household, he has regular appointments with his medical team.— medical team. definitely and definitively _ medical team. definitely and definitively but _ medical team. definitely and definitively but as _ medical team. definitely and definitively but as we - medical team. definitely and definitively but as we know l medical team. definitely and l definitively but as we know the royal family, definitively but as we know the royalfamily, we do not get definitively but as we know the royal family, we do not get a running commentary of their health and we get to know with this but having come at the royal family for a long time, will be no already is more than i would've expected to know than previous years and there are some things clearly trying to be are some things clearly trying to be a bit more open with the public we the the treatment for much prostate, he was very pleased to see the number of men who had gone for checks and dealing with their room prostate but it is usually notjust in the uk but around the world and they could appreciate actually being open. it they could appreciate actually being 0 en. ., ~' , they could appreciate actually being 0 en, ., ~' , ., they could appreciate actually being oen. h, , . open. it makes a difference, searches _ open. it makes a difference, searches of _ open. it makes a difference, searches of our _ open. it makes a difference, searches of our prostate - open. it makes a difference, searches of our prostate and open. it makes a difference, - searches of our prostate and the family speaks about an issue of health, people do pay attention. his
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health, people do pay attention. h 3 majesty has health, people do pay attention. h 2 majesty has shared the diagnosis and of course if he suddenly was cancelling all other engagements in the blood may around the world were affected by cancer, he is patron of several charities and recently was opening a brand—new cancer care system and has long been a patron of and in essence, anything they can do to help others is something and clearly there are people who are concerned by the news were just getting use to the end of the elizabethan era and so, to have something so significant in terms of this happening relatively in the beginning of his reign is difficult it will put stress and strain on other members of the royal family and we know that he is personally told three of the statement from prince harry and spoken to the duke of sussex and we expect to see him
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in the uk in the coming days but other members of the family as they have been doing and where princes they'll have to pick up the slack and of course, they have their own health issues and the king went in to hospital and they should make a point there has been fairly turbulent time and we have been used to the kings reign and only nine months out in a happy time of the coronation and sympathy and will feel the uncertainty in this is that the state and offer well years, there will be concerned about it. it be natural to think of that and let's underestimate the changes as well from queen elizabeth and there was always going to be some
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unsettling and getting into a new rain and it's going to be different and health issues are not out of the question. and health issues are not out of the cuestion. �* . ., , question. and clearly the theme cominu question. and clearly the theme coming through _ question. and clearly the theme coming through is _ question. and clearly the theme coming through is one _ question. and clearly the theme coming through is one of - question. and clearly the theme i coming through is one of positivity and environmentally positive and he looks to returning to full public duty as soon as possible and from what we are hearing, hopefully the cancer has been caught and it will be successful and notjust in the uk but around the world and balances to be struck here. aha, but around the world and balances to be struck here.— be struck here. a sensitive time for him and is — be struck here. a sensitive time for him and is of _ be struck here. a sensitive time for him and is of dissent, _ be struck here. a sensitive time for him and is of dissent, he _ be struck here. a sensitive time for him and is of dissent, he is - be struck here. a sensitive time for him and is of dissent, he is the - him and is of dissent, he is the head of state and as you say, we are getting more information in this and then we would've gotten in previous monarchs and does that say we are in the new era of the monarchy and that we are invited to certain aspects
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much more than we were? to a certain extent, much more than we were? to a certain extent. yes. — much more than we were? to a certain extent. yes. from _ much more than we were? to a certain extent, yes, from the _ much more than we were? to a certain extent, yes, from the beginning, - much more than we were? to a certain extent, yes, from the beginning, the l extent, yes, from the beginning, the king has been very keen and very shortly after he became king, he was out with the queen and walkabouts and in previous years, from that extent, yes, it is a different era and clearly things like showing how his own health issues and perhaps had a greater health message is certainly when we readmitted to the hospital and i don't remember and queen elizabeth's health and detailed and particular in the issue or procedure that is different and going forward, i don't think we should expect to have a running commentary on the south and on his treatment because i don't think we'll get that in the details and
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perhaps expected in the past. find perhaps expected in the past. and eo - le perhaps expected in the past. and --eole are perhaps expected in the past. and people are very made the point that they are convalescing from abdominal treatment of the prince of wales is trying to split his duties caring for her and that children and his real duties and stepping and in the duke of york would step in a bar with the process be now? i duke of york would step in a bar with the process be now? i think the rocess with the process be now? i think the process would _ with the process be now? i think the process would be _ with the process be now? i think the process would be prince _ with the process be now? i think the process would be prince william - with the process be now? i think the process would be prince william has| process would be prince william has already announced his first engagement after his wife was hospitalised and those due on wednesday in undoubtedly prince william is going to have to step up and the princess royal has been stepping up and has been out and about insignificantly in the number of engagements each year has always been high and will have to do more.
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but not the duke of york? i’d been high and will have to do more. but not the duke of york?— but not the duke of york? i'd be very surprised — but not the duke of york? i'd be very surprised of _ but not the duke of york? i'd be very surprised of the _ but not the duke of york? i'd be very surprised of the duke - but not the duke of york? i'd be very surprised of the duke of- but not the duke of york? i'd be i very surprised of the duke of work york and he is off the list in a senseif york and he is off the list in a sense if the princess royal, the duke and duchess of edinboro that is edward and sophie you again very much engagements in your prince william and catherine and she is convalescing expected until after easter and it is a small tight unit of rails that we have left to carry out public duties and the duke and duchess on the outside but when you think of the core members, those are they. think of the core members, those are the . ~ , , ., ., , think of the core members, those are the. ., they. members of the family to refer to her as the — they. members of the family to refer to her as the kings _ they. members of the family to refer to her as the kings rock _ they. members of the family to refer to her as the kings rock and - to her as the kings rock and prominent as of late and they have been prominent in the hospital and
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in cancer treatment centres and sports centre in northwest london and is it a coincidence? i’zre sports centre in northwest london and is it a coincidence?— and is it a coincidence? i've done ieces of and is it a coincidence? i've done pieces of the _ and is it a coincidence? i've done pieces of the care _ and is it a coincidence? i've done pieces of the care centre - and is it a coincidence? i've done pieces of the care centre in the i pieces of the care centre in the queen is been involved with the care centres for many years and i was in the diary for a long time but again, i think they post to why there more often than they otherwise would have been because they have over the years spoken to many people who have been diagnosed with cancer and anything they would feel to help and thatis anything they would feel to help and that is perhaps why we are seeing at the moment, she would know it will be indicating and it is to carry out more duties because she want to support her husband while undergoing treatment and pretty important to
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clarify in terms of some the college counsellors, these are people who officially take over public duties if the king is incapacitated in the queen would've been one of those, the duke of edinburgh would've been one of those but we are told that this is not going to be necessary in the king is not performing his duties and is not able to physically perform the ones that are strenuous and will be taking the red boxes and it will be having his weekly audiences with the prime minister and so, as much as possible, the treatment is being under gone and his business is business as usual. let's read frequently the reaction from the prime ministers office, rishi sunak is posted on social media platform acts, formerly known as twitter, in full and speedy recovery after it was revealed that the king of been diagnosed with cancer and since he knows the whole
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country will be wishing him well. keir starmer on behalf of the labour party hoping to see him swift full health. "on behalf of the labour party, i wish his majesty all the very best for his recovery. we look forward to seeing him back to swift full health." nick, good to have you with us on the programme. the statement event from buckingham palace and freeman diagnosed with cancer it is an immense shock and take some getting used to. ~ ., i. ., ., , used to. whoever you are, however my tear however — used to. whoever you are, however my tear however humble _ used to. whoever you are, however my tear however humble your _ used to. whoever you are, however my tear however humble your position - tear however humble your position takes an adjustment, psychological adjustment, that awful word when they say to you that yes, you have cancer and for him, for the world
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family and discharge from hospital and the enlarged benign condition we are told and in terms of the situation in which they find themselves and he is fit, he is resilient and he gives himself in good shape and aspects of it and it is now a matterfor the surgeons in the medical team in the well medical household to carry on with the treatment that we are told is already begun and we told by buckingham palace at this cancer, this unspecified and identified my prostate cancer as we have assumed, it is a cancer nonetheless and we have discovered in the course of treatment in the enlarged prostate
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and it is a complex programme of treatment and it's a treatment that many millions of people have had to get used to come to terms with and deal with in their lives and put the king and buckingham palace feel that there is merit and now it open as possible by the situation that they find themselves and in marked contrast to the order generation of members of the british royalfamily regarding confidentiality about medical matters of a priority of which we've learned very little about in late queen elizabeth who died just 17 months ago. in terms of the implications for other members of the british royalfamily, sarah was seeing a moment ago that it would be much greater pressure on other senior members, particularly prince william and queen camilla who will be expected to step forward and take over at least some of those
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public facing duties that hitherto have been expected to be performed by king charles and buckingham palace tells us they be able to resume this duty as soon as possible in reality, that surely is going to be a matter of months now and will depend entirely another treatment performed by the specialists and other treatment goes. imill performed by the specialists and other treatment goes.— other treatment goes. will be s math other treatment goes. will be sympathy for _ other treatment goes. will be sympathy for the _ other treatment goes. will be sympathy for the prince - other treatment goes. will be sympathy for the prince of - other treatment goes. will be i sympathy for the prince of wales other treatment goes. will be - sympathy for the prince of wales who is convalescing and having to deal with the news that his father is cancer and the puts enormous pressure on them. it cancer and the puts enormous pressure on them.— cancer and the puts enormous ressure on them. ., , �* , pressure on them. it doesn't reminds us how depleted _ pressure on them. it doesn't reminds us how depleted the _ pressure on them. it doesn't reminds us how depleted the british _ pressure on them. it doesn't reminds us how depleted the british royal- us how depleted the british royal family is now in the kings younger brother andrew having to retire from public real duties for all the reasons for that which they are effectively in disgrace and unable to resume any public role and of
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course, prince harry and dairy and megan have left the royal family and moving to california and prince harry has been entrusted to come to the united kingdom to show support for him and as with families everywhere, families around the world, when they are confronted by a medical difficulty of this magnitude for all the positive elements that we're being told there are by buckingham palace, it is still cancer, it is still potentially a very serious medical condition and in that situation, families come together and put differences aside and i'm sure you want to give as much support as possible, both to the king on a family basis within the king on a family basis within the matrix of the family and of course to camilla. she is not a blood royal and has not been doing this all her life, she married into
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the british royal family, this all her life, she married into the british royalfamily, but i think she is accepted by the british public in her role as queen and perhaps more fluid and some might�*ve expected given all the history going back over the decades and will be to her that many people were now look to take on greater public role in particular, to prince william who will now have to combine the added responsibility and the added duties with his wish to care for his recuperating wife, to support catherine and her recovery from the serious surgery that she has undergone in recent weeks. so, yes it is a challenging time for the british royal family. it is a challenging time for the british royalfamily. you it is a challenging time for the british royal family.— british royalfamily. you have covered the _ british royalfamily. you have covered the royal— british royalfamily. you have covered the royal duties - british royalfamily. you have covered the royal duties for i british royalfamily. you have - covered the royal duties for many years while he was prince of wales and he turned 75 in november and as there was a generally speaking, he's been fairly good to health, is that
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correct? , ~ , , , ., correct? yes, he keeps himself and there been — correct? yes, he keeps himself and there been no _ correct? yes, he keeps himself and there been no major— correct? yes, he keeps himself and there been no major health - correct? yes, he keeps himself and. there been no major health episodes in his life and he said bumps and bumps and scrapes and folds and broken arms and bits and pieces and yet covid—i9 very early on during that particular episode but there has been no serious medical episodes immediately recalled the fact that he went in for treatment for benign and prostates, benign as it was, the fact that buckingham palace was so open about that, i think there was something of a surprise coming as it did in parallel to hospitals in the prince of wales abdominal surgery. but perhaps there were some clues that he stayed in hospital for that comparatively straightforward procedure perhaps longer than some might�*ve expected because it was during the investigation and
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treatment of that benign prostate enlargement the doctors found what we now understand as a separate cancer, and identified cancer but not prostate cancer and it is that condition in which they are now starting to treat.— condition in which they are now starting to treat. good to talk with ou and starting to treat. good to talk with you and thank— starting to treat. good to talk with you and thank you _ starting to treat. good to talk with you and thank you for _ starting to treat. good to talk with you and thank you for coming - starting to treat. good to talk with i you and thank you for coming with us on the programme. live now to our home editor mark easton who is at buckingham palace for us. as we look at the palace, the dramatic state of it at the time, what you think it's been going on in the background over the last 2a to 48 hours? the background over the last 24 to 48 hours? i the background over the last 24 to 48 hours? ~ �* , , ., the background over the last 24 to 48 hours? ~ �*, , ., , 48 hours? i think it's been a bit more than _ 48 hours? i think it's been a bit more than that, _ 48 hours? i think it's been a bit more than that, interesting - 48 hours? i think it's been a bit| more than that, interesting that it's come to buckingham palace and is at his place of work, his flag is flying over the palace this evening and what is really telling from the whether the statement has been put together, enormous care is been taken that the king is not being to
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and he companies absolutely they're doing all he needs to do in terms of state functions and some public facing events will go but perhaps, you will do as red boxes and the new weekly meeting with the prime minister and attendance to council meetings and so on and as you can tell in the way the announcement has been made, the care that is common to the statement, the information given to the media and some of it we were unable to report after six o'clock this evening and it was only embargoed but a real sense that there's been a lot of planning and a whole system of protocols designed to make sure that the british state doesn't miss a beat when the head of it to step back on this occasion and so, probably a few days ago, as soon as the king was aware of this diagnosis and the private secretary
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will have been a touch of the prime ministers private sector in the cabinet secretary in the golden triangle to ensure that all the bits of government and constitution are joined together and i also think it is interesting that we have those photographs from yesterday morning and in sandringham because it was i think now you see it as a statement, and here, i'm still your caring neck still very much connected to the people and i'm smiling and i'm waving and i am visible and when thinking how they're going to do this and making sure the king is not invisible and there's been a new portrait issued by the palace which was taken in france recently of the king and again, it is important that the king is still visible and he will of course not be visible for a
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considerable time now but those images in the last few days have been very carefully thought out in that sense of carrying out with all these duties and he is going to, despite it being relatively easy for them to say i've got cancer and i'm going to have to step back, there are systems for ensuring that all happens in the statuses you've been discussing the statuses you've been discussing the statuses you've been discussing earlier would be the queen, queen camilla, prince william and so on and the group of people that could be brought in to take overfor more of that could be brought in to take over for more of his duties, the king clearly said no, i don't even want them to be available and i don't need that are not going to be that person and i'm going to be at my desk doing what i need to do with as i can and a lot of messaging to the british public and saying i am the british public and saying i am the king and i'll continue to be the
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decaying despite everything going on right now. in decaying despite everything going on riaht now. , ., ., �*, decaying despite everything going on riahtnow. ,., ., �*, , right now. in terms of what's been arranued right now. in terms of what's been arranged in _ right now. in terms of what's been arranged in advanced _ right now. in terms of what's been arranged in advanced and - right now. in terms of what's been arranged in advanced and how - arranged in advanced and how important is to the king himself and what he does with others visits. aha, what he does with others visits. lot of it will depend on the prognosis of the medical treatment and what he has on his health and there are two wheel visits planned and went to canada in may and the other was a major trip to australia and new zealand and in october, he may still go but this will also be a matter of some discussion and he was supposed to go as a of the
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commonwealth the government shall be in samoa and that will be between the plan and a big question of or both of those trips and is he going to be healthy enough and really hard work, a lot of travelling and if you're really struggling with something like cancer and the real question and prince william and perhaps going to stand and it will be a huge disappointment to the king and he is a huge supporter of the commonwealth it is proud to be its head and he will been very much looking forward to the commonwealth government meeting in samoa and i think he really wants to, he's been waiting all his life to be king and this is what he needs to do, to go to go to the other country that formed part of his wider kingdom, the 14 countries outside the uk with which he is a sovereign. and i'm
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sure there will be discussions buckingham palace and elsewhere try to work out what is the best way, do we have the council, to rescale the kings condition is two months from now but of course, the planning, there's so much planning, so much detail and agenda setting before these visits in the left to move fairly quickly to work out what is best to do. aha, fairly quickly to work out what is best to do-_ fairly quickly to work out what is best to do. 2 . . ., ., best to do. a general reflection of how this will _ best to do. a general reflection of how this will be _ best to do. a general reflection of how this will be received - best to do. a general reflection of how this will be received across i best to do. a general reflection of. how this will be received across the country. there lots of people across the country get the shocking news as it is and come to terms with living with cancer but generally speaking about this king, nine months on from the coronation and out of the country will react to it. it is the coronation and out of the country will react to it.- country will react to it. it is a reminder— country will react to it. it is a reminder that _ country will react to it. it is a reminder that our _ country will react to it. it is a reminder that our king - country will react to it. it is a reminder that our king is - country will react to it. it is a - reminder that our king is 74 years old, he will be 75 later this year and he is an older man and his
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health, people have said he is going to come to the throne as a pensioner. in the i think there is going to be a reminder that we do have an elderly sovereign and as nicholas was saying, he has been pretty healthy and looks after himself and going back to the messaging is very much of a monarch was utterly determined that whatever medical setbacks there are, he's going to continue to do that in terms of public i think there's going to be shock among many people in the cancer diagnosis and any family is a big shock into any people in this country king charles having cancer, it will discombobulated them a little bit and we need somebody strong, we need someone who is fit in well and i think they'll be concerned on a personal level and i think with the
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king is trying to do here is almost use this awful situation and opportunity and i know as a human being that thousands, hundreds of thousands of people diagnosed with cancer every year and it is a massive shock and he has to do that in a way that people can look at and feel he did that right. he did that properly and he is a better king for it. if you were to get this wrong, there would be very serious for a monarch was only been in the job 17 months and i think the public will, i think there will be shock and huge sympathy for a man who we have known, most people have known all their lives as either the air to the throne or now is king and i think
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there will be real concern among many people for him and for his family, realsympathy many people for him and for his family, real sympathy but from the kings point of view, he wants to say yes, i've got cancer but you know what, i'm going to carry on being your king. you are watching bbc news. if you are just you are watching bbc news. if you arejustjoining us you are watching bbc news. if you are justjoining us welcome to our continued coverage of this breaking story. an announcement from buckingham palace in moscow or the king is being treated for cancer. he will continue his state duties but will continue his state duties but will step back from public engagement during his treatment. the statement says that...
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