TWO new opinion polls yesterday suggested France was firmly on course to reject the EU’s new constitution, increasing pressure on President Jacques Chirac, who made a final plea to voters to back the charter.

George Bush has a seven-point lead over his Democratic challenger, John Kerry according to a US poll published today.

US public opinion of President George Bush’s handling of issues such as the economy and the war on terrorism is near the low point of his presidency, but rival John Kerry has been unable to capitalise on Bush’s slide, a poll found.