Five must-read stories—December 19

EC wants a ban on anonymous donations over ₹2,000 to parties

The Election Commission (EC) wants the limit for political parties accepting anonymous donations be slashed from ₹20,000 to ₹2,000. The EC, led by Nasim Zaidi, also wants parties to maintain accounts for all donations, get their accounts audited and submit the audited books to it on an annual basis, says The Times of India.

India tense as Russia backs China-Pakistan corridor

Making a U-turn, Moscow has not just declared strong support for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, but also announced its intention to link the China-funded project to its own Eurasian Economic Union project with it, reports The Times of India.

Demonetisation blues: Sales plunge, anger rises among fishing folk

Forty days after demonetisation, sales have plunged and anger is rising among 14.5 million Indians—more than the population of Greece or Portugal—dependent on fishing. An industry that generates almost 1.1% to India’s GDP has slowed drastically, says an IndiaSpend report.

After a 15-year wait, India wins Junior World Cup crown by beating Belgium

The Indian junior hockey team became world champions after they defeated Belgium 2-1 in the final on Sunday. This was Indian hockey’s first-ever world-level title in 15 years, the last being its maiden win in the same competition in 2001, reports The Hindu.

DLF boss’ daughter Renuka Talwar buys bungalow in Lutyens Delhi for ₹435 crore

Renuka Talwar, daughter of DLF Chairman KP Singh, has acquired a bungalow on Prithviraj Road for ₹435 crore in one of the biggest deals for a property in Lutyens’ Delhi, according to The Economic Times. Located on a 4,925 sq metre plot, the bungalow has a built-up area of around 1,189 square metre.