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Mayan expert: Dec. 21 not doomsday

CHICAGO, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A Chicago expert on the ancient Mayans said the belief that the world will end Dec. 21 of this year is based on a misunderstanding of the calendar.

Gary Feinman, curator of Mesoamerican anthropology with Chicago's Field Museum, said Friday will mark the end of a 1,872,000-day cycle for the Mayan calendar, but there is no reason to expect the world to come to an end, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

"There's really no basis for thinking we have to be worried about what will happen," Feinman said. "There's no Maya prophesy of doom. There's no idea the world will come to an end that we can find in studies of the Maya."

Feinman said the ancient Mayans also wrote down dates for events taking place after the calendar rolls over Dec. 21.

First New Year's countdown for Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A Thai event organizer said its subsidiary in Myanmar will host the country's first official New Year's Countdown party in Yangon.

Myanmar Index Creative Village, a subsidiary of Thai company Index Creative Village, said it is hoping to attract 50,000 people to celebrate New Year's Eve at the Myoma Football Ground in Yangon, The Bangkok Post reported Wednesday.

"We will bring a new trend and the joyful celebration to Myanmar. People over there have no idea about the countdown as the country has never celebrated it before," Chief Executive Officer Kriangkrai Kanjanapokin said.

Kriangkrai said authorities have given the go-ahead for the event and the military may provide security for the countdown party.