Vatican brushes aside end-of-the-world talk

The Vatican’s top astronomer has some assurances to offer: The world won’t be ending in 10 days, despite predictions to the contrary.

The Vatican’s top astronomer has some assurances to offer: The world won’t be ending in 10 days, despite predictions to the contrary.

A countdown has been launched here in the run-up to the Dec. 21 “doomsday” prophecy—the day when the end of the world is supposed to come.