Shatto Place

They've dubbed tonight "Great Hopes!" and the Big Sisters of Los Angeles will announce Mr. and Mrs. Bob Hope as their Humanitarian couple of the Year at a dinner dance at the Beverly Wilshire. Kay and Robert Dockson (he's chairman of the board, CalFed Inc.,) are benefit chairmen. Among the other dinner "chairs" are Clara and Bill burgess, doris and supervisor Deane Dana, Dorothy and Gerald Foster, Gretchen and George Gibbs Jr.

Southwestern Law School, which occupies one of Los Angeles' most famous buildings, has announced plans to expand its quarters with construction of student housing. The move marks a breakthrough in the evolution of the century-old institution into a law school with an authentic 24-hour campus, officials said. Southwestern expects to start work in December on a $20-million project to create 133 apartments, an outdoor courtyard and underground parking next to the school's two main buildings.

As a 21-year-old man shot by police lay bleeding to death in the hallway of a shabby Mid-City apartment building, Los Angeles Police Department officers intentionally delayed calling an ambulance while they planted a gun near where he had fallen and concocted an elaborate story to justify the shooting, according to disgraced former officer Rafael Perez.

Is Beijing playing its Russian and European cards in an effort to ace the U.S. in the game of world diplomacy? Or is China deliberately sending the United States an even blunter message? Last month, China inked a treaty with Russia and awarded a gigantic aircraft contract to a European manufacturer, to the distress of the competing U.S. bidders who had been expected to get it. In this and so many other respects, the Sino-U.S. relationship seems a major fright.

Officials at the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles said Tuesday they had information suggesting that representatives of the government of Taiwan were paying Chinese students $100 each to participate in anti-Communist demonstrations in the city. The assertion was strongly denied by officials at the Coordination Council for North American Affairs, which represents Taiwan here, and termed "almost funny" and "bizarre" by local Chinese-Americans familiar with the students who have marched in local rallies in recent weeks.

Next week, Muslims worldwide begin observing activities associated with the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims who are physically and financially able are obligated to perform the hajj at least once in their lives. The hajj is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith and symbolizes fully turning to God and seeking forgiveness for past sins, said Mahmoud Abdel-Baset of the Islamic Center of Southern California.

LAST CALL FOR TICKETS CoSport, (877) 457-4647, www .cosport.com, is the official U.S. distributor for tickets to the Olympics as well as travel packages that include tickets. A final round of ticket sales begins in October. During the first round of applications, which closed June 20, the Beijing Olympic Commission received 4.7 million ticket requests, which are being filled. -- Susan Spano VISA: REQUIRED Americans need a visa to visit China.

Among events for "Imagine There's a Future" are: Sunday, July 21, 11:30 am.-2:30 p.m., Perry Park, Redondo Beach, "Nuclear Issue in the Schools." The sponsor is the South Bay Chapter for a Bilateral Nuclear Freeze. Saturday, July 27: "Soul Force: The Church Responds to Apartheid," 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Sponsoring organizations are the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Holman Justice Ministries and University Peace Center.

Two weekend events, featuring sacred storytelling and feminist perspectives, will present common spiritual themes across different religious traditions. Tales of love and miracles, demons and the Monkey King will be presented Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Unity Church of Tustin, 14402 S. Prospect Ave.

As thousands of refugees flee ethnic cleansing in Kosovo amid persistent and disturbing reports of war crimes, Americans on Sunday begin the annual remembrance of the genocide of 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany. Although Yom Hashoah, the Day of Remembrance, when Jews honor the memory of Holocaust victims, is Tuesday, events are planned over the next two weeks.