Mulayam Singh Yadav's party has not accepted an apology from Union minister Beni Prasad Verma who had over the weekend accused Mr Yadav of "links with terrorists." Mr Verma expressed his remorse after a meeting with the Prime Minister. "I am sorry if my remarks have hurt anybody's sentiments," he said. Mr Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP) has made its fury clear by disrupting Parliament repeatedly demanding an apology from the minister and his removal from the cabinet.

Top Congress ministers fail to convince DMK chief M Karunanidhi on the Lankan Tamils issue; the cabinet clears a new anti-rape bill that will be placed in Parliament.

Nitish Kumar eyes 2014, says give Bihar special status now or after the elections you will be forced to do so; ahead of the Lanka vote, Karunanidhi ups the ante - writes to the PM, Sonia Gandhi for amendments to the resolution. Sources tell NDTV the government is likely to agree to vote against Lanka; and lots more on the 9 O'clock news.

On the 9 O'clock news, Sunil Gavaskar and Dean Jones discuss one of the most remarkable innings one will see in quite some time in international cricket - Shikhar Dhawan's 185 not out against Australia - the fastest century by a debutant in the history of test cricket.

BJP attacks government over the Italian marines row, says India is getting 'kicked around' internationally; students upset over changes in the UPSC exam pattern; and Samsung launches the Galaxy S4.

'Sting' claims to out money-laundering by top banks, angry CRPF jawans protest Omar Abdullah's absence at the funeral of their collegues who were killed in a militant attack, and a special report from the Vatican on moments of cheer and joy after the new Pope was elected.

On the show tonight, we discuss the controversy surrounding the two Italians marines with the PM issuing a strong warning to Italy as the BJP ups the ante.

Outrage has spread over Italy's refusal to send back the two marines charged with the murder of two Kerala fishermen. India summoned the Italian Ambassador to lodge a strong protest against the Italian snub, but what can it do beyond that? We discuss.

On the 9 O'clock news, we debate whether the death of Ram Singh, the alleged mastermind behind the gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in Delhi in December last year, in his cell in Tihar Jail will hamper the trial.

Olympic medallist Vijender Singh is facing charges of using heroin a few times after a close friend of the boxer's said both of them had done drugs. The names of the boxers had surfaced after a Rs 130 crore drug haul in Punjab, but Vijender has denied any involvement saying he doesn't do drugs and neither does he know the drug lord, in whose home the heroine was found. On the 9 O'clock news, we focus on the shadow of drugs on Indian boxers.