Australia PM Abbott vows to defeat leadership challenge

SYDNEY, Feb 6:�� Conservative Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott said today he would seek to defeat a party-room motion challenging his leadership at a vote to be held next week, bringing to a head weeks of speculation about his future .���� Abbott told reporters he would stand with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, identified by media as a potential challenger to Abbott, to defeat the motion brought by disaffected lawmakers. The vote will be held in Canberra on Tuesday. (agencies)^^^^