Mohammed Said Al-Sahhaf
Read speech on behalf of Saddam Hussein
Iraqi television has shown footage of what it said was President Saddam Hussein visiting residential areas of Baghdad this evening.
It reported that he was visiting buildings bombed by US warplanes.
The footage comes in the wake of a televised address by the Iraqi president this afternoon, in which he urged the people of Baghdad to 'strike the enemy with force'.
He also predicted victory over the invading US and British troops.
Saddam Hussein mentioned the shooting down of a US Apache helicopter by an Iraqi farmer in late March.
The mention of the incident appears to be the first clear proof the Iraqi president survived a US bombing raid that targeted him and his two sons.
The US secretary of State, Colin Powell, has dismissed suggestions that Saddam Hussein's appearance on TV would have any impact on how the war was fought.
He said US troops where advancing on the capital, making anything the Iraqi president did irrelevant.
Warning of 'non-conventional' attack
Meanwhile, US military commanders have said hundreds of US soldiers will reinforce Baghdad airport overnight.
It follows an announcement by the Iraqi Information Minister, Mohammed Said Al-Sahhaf, that Iraqi forces intend to launch a non-conventional attack on US troops at the airport.
It is not clear what is meant by 'non-conventional' but US-led forces have been on alert for possible Iraqi use of biological or chemical weapons, which Baghdad denies it possesses.
The US military claims to have taken full control of the airport, which is 12 miles outside the city.
Correspondents have reported seeing large numbers of local residents fleeing into the capital from the airport following fierce exchanges.
Latest reports say that electricity has been partially restored in Baghdad.
'A night of hell'
One woman said shelling had been continuous; she said last night had been a night of hell.
The US military has claimed that 320 Iraqis were killed in fighting at the airport, and there have been reports from some correspondents that the dead may include civilian airport maintenance workers.
A Reuters journalist said he saw the Americans fight off an Iraqi counterattack, destroying a number of tanks and armed trucks.
A BBC correspondent reported seeing large numbers of Iraqi reinforcements being dispatched to the area.
Correspondents based in Baghdad itself reported that warplanes could be heard overhead as well as large explosions in the distance and in the central city area.
Five killed in car blastThe Americans have said that three of their soldiers were killed, along with two other people, when a vehicle exploded at a checkpoint manned by US-led forces northwest of Baghdad.
The two civilians who were killed are reported to be a pregnant woman and the vehicle's driver.
The incident is reported to have happened last night.
41 US troops killed - military
According to the US military, 41 US troops have been killed in action during the 16 days of the war. Eleven were killed in accidents, two in 'friendly-fire'. There are 16 missing and 150 wounded.
Analysis of Iraqi figures indicates a minimum of 472 Iraqis killed (maximum of 844), and about 5,000 wounded.
Six British troops have been killed in action, 16 in accidents and five in 'friendly-fire' according tot eh British military.
Five members of the media have been killed (1 Australian, 1 Iranian, 3 British) and two are missing near Umm Qasr.
