Chavez gives speech and sings after treatment

Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, has strode, sung and given a rousing speech in an apparent show of vigour after his latest cancer treatment in Cuba.

His actions came during an address to the nation on Friday, after he flew back from Havana where he has completed six rounds of radiation therapy.

Five months before presidential elections, the country has been awash with rumours that Chavez, who had only been seen live in public once in the previous month, was dying from his illness.

With Venezuelans watching on live TV for any sign of his condition, Chavez walked with relative ease from his plane, hugged ministers, inspected a military guard and improvised a song at the end of a 20-minute speech.