PM ASKS PARTIES TO BE FLEXIBLE Kathmandu, 11 Dec.: Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said there was no alternative to political parties, democracy and religious secularism, RSS reports from Hetauda.. Addressing a function organised on the concluding day of the International Sculpture Workshop at Gumbadanda of Harnamadi-7 in Makwanpur district on Tuesday, he urged the political parties to become flexible to forge consensus and institutionalize the changes achieved through struggles. Democracy would face threat if the conducive atmosphere for election by April/May was not created, he said, adding that political parties should therefore be aware for national consensus. According to the PM, government would immediately formulate necessary work policy to protect and promote handicraft and sculpture and identify it in the international arena too. Similarly, he made a commitment that government would set up an international fund to develop sculpture. On the occasion, Vice-Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Thakur Prasad Mainali said the role of the political parties and government was essential to protect and promote sculpture. He said locals, civil society and political parties should help preserve the valuable artistic sculptures though the National Fine Arts Academy has a policy to conduct workshops on sculpture in remote areas. On the occasion, the Prime Minister felicitated national and foreign sculptors. Local Development Officer of Makawanpur Bhuwan Prakash Bista, Department Chief of Sculpture at National Academy of Fine Arts Om Khatri, local sculptor Laxman Bhujel, South Korean artist Sige Su, Chinese artist Siko Jung Su and member of organizing committee Dr Taralal Shrestha and others said that the state should pay more attention for the preservation of artistic creations. The sculptures include issues of peace, human origin, life cycle, mother, women, empowerment, landscape of Makawanpur, ancient art, history, animals, god and goddesses and others. The District Development Committee Makawanpur said a total of 23 artists, including one each from Japan, China, South Korea, Italy and France have participated at the workshop. The artists carved a total of 23 statues. The artists were provided with 10 to 25 tons of stones to prepare the sculptors. Nnnn GERMANY ALSO ASSISTS Kathmandu, 1 Dec.: Germany Tuesday announced an additional 37.2 million euro grant for new and ongoing programmes for the year 2012- 2013. Altogether 14.0 million euro is in financial cooperation and 23.2 million euro for technical cooperation projects. Germany has provided EUR 1.099 billion since 1961.,” a statement said. Nnnn UPDATE FOOTBALL LEAGUE Kathmandu, 11 Dec.; RCT defeated Jwalakhel by a solitary goal Tuesday in the Martyrs Memorial A Division Football League Championship. The solitary goal came in the 53rd minute. nnnn. MESSI BREAKS ANOTHER RECORD Kathmandu, 11 Dec.: Lionel Messi broke German great Gerd Mueller's 40-year-old record for most goals in a year by scoring for the 86th time in 2012 on Sunday, AP reports from Barcelona.. The Argentina forward scored twice to lead Barcelona to a 2-1 win at Real Betis in the Spanish league match. His first was an individual effort in the 16th minute to tie Mueller's mark, and he eclipsed the 1972 milestone with a familiar left-footed finish nine minutes later. ''As I have said many times, the record is nice but the important thing is the victory that keeps us on the patch we want to continue on,'' Messi said. ''As I always say, my objectives are on a team level: to win the league, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey again.'' Messi has scored 74 goals for Barcelona and 12 times for Argentina this year, and he has three more games in which he can add to his tally before the end of the year. Mueller scored 85 for Bayern Munich and West Germany. The 25-year-old Messi passed Brazil great Pele's single-season milestone of 75 goals for Brazil and Santos in 1958 with his 75th and 76th goals of the year on Nov. 11 to move into second place behind Mueller. After his record 50 goals in the Spanish league last season, Messi has led Barcelona to the best start in the history of the championship this season with 14 wins and a draw in the opening 15 rounds. The scoring ace has found the net 30 times already this season in all competitions for Barcelona. ''We won't see another player like (Messi),'' Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova said. ''Not just because of his ability to score. But also for his ability to pass, play defense, and his understandings of the game. He is a global star that helps us in so many ways.'' Messi, who became a father for the first time on Nov. 2 to a boy named Thiago, was announced as one of the three finalists for the FIFA world player of the year award along with teammate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or award for the past three years in helping Barcelona win three Spanish league titles and two Champions League crowns, along with various other competitions. He is seeking to become the only player to win the award for a fourth time when the winner is announced in Switzerland on Jan. 7. Iniesta participated in both of Barcelona's goals in Seville on Sunday, and Messi said he would be happy to see his teammate win the award. ''If the Ballon d'Or is for Andres, he deserves it for everything he shows us game after game,'' Messi said. Nicknamed ''The Flea'' for his small stature and uncanny ability to slice through defenses, Messi has shattered several records during the past year. He scored 73 times in all competitions for Barcelona last season, breaking the previous European club record of 67 goals set by Mueller in 1972-73 and the prior world club mark of 70 established by Archie Stark of Bethlehem Steel in the American Soccer League in 1924-25. Messi scored his 73rd and final goal of the 2011-12 season as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the Copa del Rey final in May to give then-coach Pep Guardiola his 14th title in his final game. In March, Messi passed Cesar Rodriguez's 57-year-old milestone of 232 goals to become Barcelona all-time leading scorer. He also tied the record of 14 goals in a single European Cup competition last season, scoring five times in one Champions League match to set yet another mark. ''Leo is supernatural,'' Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. ''He doesn't have limits. We'll always have to remember everything he gave us. We have to enjoy every minute we have with him.'' nnnn