New Delhi, Jan. 7 : The Second Global Innovation Index 2008 (GII) jointly published by Confederation of Indian Industry and INSEAD Business School, has once again placed United States at the top of the Global Innovation Rankings. India, on the other hand, is ranked a lowly 41.

The GII that has studied 130 countries has ranked Germany in the second position, followed by Sweden, the United Kingdom and Singapore.

The European economies including the Nordic ones continued to do well in 2008. Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands figured in the top 10 apart from Germany, Sweden and UK that figure in the top 5. However, France was the biggest loser slipping from the 5th to 19th position.

Dhaka (Bangladesh), Jan. 7 : Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim have both been fined after breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the third day’s play in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Ashraful has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee while Mushfiqur has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee.

An ICC press release said the penalties were handed down by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees on Wednesday following hearings which were held in Chittagong on Tuesday after the conclusion of the Test which Sri Lanka won by 465 runs.

New Delhi, Jan. 7 : Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday justified the live coverage of the proceedings of the Lok Sabha for public knowledge.

The Speaker said people had the right to know how their representatives act and behave inside the House.

"I think people have a right to know how their representatives act, behave and work inside the House," said Somnath Chatterjee while stating that a section of the people think "different type of behaviour" of the MPs should not be shown on Lok Sabha TV.

Islamabad/ New Delhi, Jan. 7 : United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, on Wednesday said those involved in the Mumbai terror attacks have links in Pakistan.

The latest statement from the US has supported India''s view, which describes the involvement of Pakistan-based terror outfits in Mumbai terror attacks.

Boucher, who engaged the Pakistani leadership on this issue at length, reiterated that whoever was involved in this, needs to be held responsible.

Wellington (New Zealand), Jan. 7 : West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard has been officially reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during his side’s third ODI against New Zealand at Wellington.

At a hearing that took place after the match on Wednesday, Javagal Srinath of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees found Pollard guilty of causing damage to a dressing room.

The 21-year-old was found to have breached Level 1.2 of the code which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, group equipment of fixtures and fittings”.

Tel Aviv, Jan. 7 : Israel has temporarily stopped attacking Gaza to allow aid supplies and fuel to reach the 1.4 million residents of the territory.

Sky News quoted the Israeli military as saying that firing would be stopped for three hours every day to allow the movement of essential aid.

The deputy leader of the Hamas also promised on Al Arabiya television that the group would not launch missiles during that time.

Meanwhile Israel''s President Shimon Peres has said that he is willing to consider a permanent cease-fire, but maintained that his people were victims in the Gaza conflict.