HONG KONG, Jan 25 (AP) -- The Year of the dog is named after man's best friend, so it should be a better year for humanity, with fewer earthquakes, wars and other nastiness, right?

Probably not, say Chinese fortunetellers who are predicting the new Lunar Year, which begins Jan. 29, will bring more epidemics, terrorist attacks and a worsening of North Korea's nuclear crisis.

"In general, it doesn't look good. It will be just as bad" as last year, said Hong Kong soothsayer Alion Yeo.

The Lunar New Year is the biggest festival for ethnic Chinese -- about one-fifth of the world's population. As they shop for new clothes and the freshest foods from the market in preparation for the festivities, many Chinese also snap up fortune tellers' guides to see what the Year of the Dog has in store for them.

"The Year of the Dog is a year of strong fire," Yeo said. "That represents hill fires, for example, and military conflicts."

Japan and the Koreas, in particular, could be the source of military clashes and could see an aggravation of the nuclear crisis involving North Korea.

Famous dogs include pop stars Jennifer Lopez and Madonna, Hollywood director Steven Spielburg, tycoon Donald Trump, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and current U.S. President George W. Bush, along with his father.

Fortune teller and celebrity feng shui master Peter So predicted that 2006 will be a "year of diseases."

Viruses, like bird flu, will spread to western Europe and to America's east coast, So said. Asian cities like Hong Kong should also be prepared for more frequent "stomach diseases," he said.

"There will be a lot of small problems generally. But they won't be too serious," he said.

The new year will also bring with it more terrorist activities, So said. Terrorism would threaten southern countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, as well as northern regions like Korea and Russia, he said.

It's not all doom and gloom, however. In Taiwan, meteorologist Tsai Shang-chi expects booming trade and travel between the Taiwan and China would ease political confrontation. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949 and tensions continue to simmer.

"It will appear a year without high winds or big waves. But there will be severe power wrestling under the currents," Tsai said.

Soothsayers are divided over whether the Year of the Dog will be a smooth year for the economy. Tsai predicts an auspicious year in terms of economic development for eastern Asia, while So said the year would see a slowing down and stabling of economic progress.

But this news would probably not dampen the high spirits of Hong Kong jewelry retailers, who are busy cashing in on sales of gold figurines of the dog and other animals of the Chinese astrological cycle.

The Chinese are buying these figurines not only for decorative purposes. Astrologers say certain figurines could protect people born under the sign of the dog, who should be wary of a year of bad luck as the alignment of the stars work against a person every 12 years when their astrological sign comes around.

Dragons, sheep and cows should also brace for bad luck or turbulent emotions.

"People born under these signs could buy jade or gold rabbit figurines, which could protect them throughout the year," Yeo said.

Most of Hong Kong's jewelry stores have stocked up on all manners of gold animal figurines, from heavy golden dogs for the desktop to delicate rabbit mobile phone accessories.

The dog might be man's best friend, but the sign doesn't enjoy much popularity among Chinese wannabe parents. "That's because the dog clashes against the dragon -- the best sign to be born under," Yeo said.

"People born under the dog have Earth, which means they could be stubborn. They also have Fire, which means they are honest and don't restrain showing their feelings," he added.