* Ross: Risk of war Dennis Ross, the former senior American Middle East peace negotiator, says he thinks “there is a risk of war” between Israel and Syria this summer.

* Policy planning institute: Future of Jewish people is not assured A working paper prepared for next week’s Conference on the Future of the Jewish People, sponsored by The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, contains the following assessment: “The future of the Jewish People is not assured, though there are great opportunities” for thriving.

* Pakistan cleric makes defiant vow The deputy leader of radical Islamic students besieged at the Red Mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad has said he would rather die than surrender.

* Hamas has rockets than can hit IDF planes Senior defense officials are extremely concerned by the fact that Hamas has recently seized large quantities of anti-aircraft missiles, antitank rockets and Katyusha rockets.

* Emirates aims to redraw world aviation map The chairman of Emirates Airlines – Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum of the ruling family of Dubai – has grand ambitions, and a bankroll to match.

* Al-Qaida deputy calls on Muslims to follow 2-pronged strategy Al-Qaida’s deputy leader sought to bolster the terror network’s main arm in Iraq in a new video released Thursday.

* Guam becomes key US military base The US is spending billions of dollars and moving troops in the Asia Pacific to strengthen bases in outlying US territories.

* Papal directive seen as a step backward Pope Benedict XVI is expected in a directive Saturday to encourage priests to use the traditional Latin mass.

* Japan moves to build missile system Japan has said it is seeking to build an anti-missile system as quickly as possible and will move its Air Defence Command to a US military base.

* 45 Muslim doctors planned US terror raids A group of 45 Muslim doctors threatened to use car bombs and rocket grenades in terrorist attacks in the United States during discussions on an extremist internet chat site.