A majority of people in 30 of 35 countries want Democratic party flagbearer John Kerry in the White House, according to a survey released showing US President George W. Bush rebuffed by all of America's traditional allies.

On average, Senator Kerry was favored by more than a two-to-one margin -- 46 percent to 20 percent, the survey by GlobeScan Inc, a global research firm, and the local University of Maryland, showed.

The only countries where Bush was preferred in the poll covering a total of 34,330 people and conducted in July and August were the Philippines, Nigeria and Poland.

Kerry was strongly preferred among all of America's traditional allies, including Norway (74 percent compared with Bush's seven percent), Germany (74 percent to 10 percent), France (64 percent to five percent), the Netherlands (63 percent to six percent), Italy (58 percent to 14 percent) and Spain (45 percent to seven percent).

Even in Britain, where Prime Minister Tony Blair is Bush's closest ally in the war on terror, Kerry trounced the incumbent 47 percent to 16 percent.

Kerry was also greatly favored among Canadians by 61 percent to Bush's 16 percent and among the Japanese by 43 percent to 23 percent.

Even among countries that have contributed troops to Iraq, most favored Kerry, and said that their view of US foreign policy has gotten worse under Bush.

They included Britain, the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Japan, Norway and Spain.

With Kenneth Bigley's life almost certain to be lost without the release of two female Iraq prisoners, why wait a few more days?

With the two US hostages (Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong) already beheaded by the Tawhid and Jihad group, who are still holding Bigley, it is clear how real the danger is.

The US have already stated that the two women prisoners, being held by American forces, are due for a conditional release in perhaps a few days (although this story has changed in the last few hours). Why would it be such a problem to bring that date forward, instead of playing political games with a mans life?

The British government have said that they have little hope that Kenneth Bigley will be spared by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Without the release of the female Iraqi prisoners this is almost certain, but there is little to lose in trying. The group holding the British hostage must know that if they do not honour their agreement, if demands are met, they can not hope that any future demands will be considered.

We believe that negotiations are taking place, despite denials from the US and British governments, and there is still a chance for Bigley.

Both governments are keen not to give the impression that they are prepared to meet terrorist demands and were no doubt unhappy that an Iraqi official announced that one of the prisoners was to be released today.

We are not quite sure why releasing two prisoners earlier than planned (by a few days) should be seen as agreeing to a demand. Surely, if they were going to be freed, regardless of this situation, this is not "giving in".

Whilst many of the civilians working in Iraq are doing so for the money, this is no reason to leave them unprotected from the dangers of kidnapping. Security measures must be increased to protect them more.

Although it has not yet been officially announced, a large US company (already involved in Iraq) has been looking to recruit Russian security personnel for this work. The company is working with the knowledge of the US government, but as far as we know, the Russian government are not yet aware of this. The funding for this project, which runs into millions of dollars, will come from US taxpayers pockets.

Iraq's government said one of two women in U.S. custody would be freed on Wednesday, but insisted the move was unrelated to the demands of kidnappers who have killed two Americans and are threatening to kill a Briton.

The Tawhid and Jihad group led by Jordanian al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said in an Internet statement it had killed American Jack Hensley because its demands for the release of female prisoners from jails in Iraq had not been met.

U.S. and Iraqi officials said a body, yet to be identified, had been found.

"Lions of the Tawhid and Jihad have slaughtered the second American hostage after the deadline," the statement said, adding that footage of the killing would be posted on the Internet.

"The British hostage will meet the same fate if the British government does not do what must be done to release him."

U.S. forces say they only hold two female Iraqi prisoners. Rihab Taha and Huda Ammash, dubbed "Dr. Germ" and "Mrs. Anthrax" by U.S. forces, are held in a prison for high-level suspects.

There was no confirmation from the kidnappers that their release was specifically what they were seeking.

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UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and US President George W.Bush traded fresh barbs over Iraq at a sombre meeting of world leaders held in the shadow of Iraq's ongoing bloodshed.

Opening the UN's annual debate, Annan said Iraqi prisoners had been "disgracefully abused" and made veiled references to the United States in a wide-ranging speech calling on all nations to obey the rule of law.

Bush fired back that the United States had enforced "the just demands of the world" by ousting Saddam Hussein in a war that has left world opinion still bitterly divided more than one year after the US-led invasion.

Annan, an outspoken critic of the war cited the prisoner abuse among "flagrant" examples of lawlessness across the globe.

"In Iraq, we see civilians massacred in cold blood, while relief workers, journalists and other non-combatants are taken hostage and put to death in the most barbarous fashion," Annan said with Bush in the audience.

"At the same time, we have seen Iraqi prisoners disgracefully abused," he said, drawing a parallel between the Iraq bloodshed and the prisoner scandal in a way destined to irk the US administration.

John Kerry has accused George W. Bush of creating a "crisis of historic proportion" with his invasion of Iraq, leaving Americans with the prospect of a war with no end in sight.

"In Iraq, this [Bush] administration has consistently overpromised and underperformed," Kerry told an audience at New York University. "This policy has been plagued by a lack of planning, an absence of candour, arrogance and outright incompetence."

"The satisfaction we take in his downfall does not hide this fact —we have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure," he said.

"After insulting allies and shredding alliances, this president may not have the trust and confidence to bring others to our side in Iraq," he said.

"But we cannot hope to succeed unless we rebuild and lead strong alliances so that other nations share the burden with us."