Australian PM Howard to contest next election.

(From BBC Monitoring International Reports)

Text of report by Radio Australia on 31 July

[Newsreader] The Australian prime minister, John Howard, has told his colleagues that he intends to stay on to fight the next federal election, ending speculation about his future. From Canberra, Louise Yaxley reports.

[Yaxley] John Howard has written to his colleagues saying there is a strong view that he should stay and committing to do so. He will be 68 as he tries to win a fifth consecutive election. Marginal seat holders like Michael Ferguson from Bass have been waiting for this.

[Ferguson] I am just delighted that he will be …