A tranche of American hybrid airplane-helicopters won’t be buzzing over the skies of Japan anytime soon.

Paul is trying to send Islamabad a message about the arrest of a doctor who helped find Osama bin Laden.

The Senate unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday night condemning the crimes against humanity committed by Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda.

“Kony and the LRA have terrorized Uganda and its neighbors in central Africa for more than two decades, tearing families apart and destroying communities,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), the lead sponsor of the resolution. “Joseph Kony represents the worst of mankind, and he and his commanders must be held accountable for their war crimes.”

The Pentagon said Obama's safety wasn't jeopardized during the April trip and there was no risk to national security.

Lawmakers greeted Kofi Annan's exit as the United Nations' special envoy to Syria as a sign the peace process is dead, but they remained split about what the United States should do about it.

“It means that bad things will be happening in Syria for a long time,” said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), a high-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “It doesn't mean that the Sixth Fleet is going to change that.”

Annan announced Thursday he was stepping down at the end of the month after failing to get support for a unity government featuring members of President Bashar Assad's government and members of the opposition. He blamed dissension within the U.N. Security Council, where China and Russia have vetoed sanctions on Syria three times, for his decision. Read more...

The Senate approved a new ambassador to Afghanistan and nine more of President Obama's nominees before heading out for the summer recess Thursday evening. 

James Cunningham, the current deputy ambassador in Kabul, replaces Ryan Crocker, who is stepping down after serving just one year, citing health reasons. The Senate also approved new ambassadors to Ghana, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, Zimbabwe, Oman, Guinea, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Serbia.

The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, welcomed the appointment in a statement Friday.

Your morning global affairs speed-read

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton travels to South Sudan, the world's newest country, to press for a peace deal with Sudan after months of clashes over oil and borders. The visit comes one day after a United Nations Security Council deadline for the two countries to settle their differences or face sanctions.

Clinton is the highest-level official yet to visit the country. South Sudan was seen as a potential close friend of the United States when it was created last summer, but President Salva Kiir is alleged to have lied to President Obama on several occasions about his country's support for rebels north of the border, straining ties. [McClatchy Newspapers]

Syria showdown: The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution Friday reprimanding Syria for its use of heavy weaponry against civilians and domestic insurgents, one day after Kofi Annan decided to step down as special envoy amid the failure of his peace plan. [The Wall Street Journal]

In other news, Russian defense officials said some 360 marines on three warships are bound for the port of Tartus, Russia's sole access to the Mediterranean. [The New York Times]

House Republican leadership pledged to take up a measure in September that would normalize trade relations with Russia is the Senate and White House support passage. 

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said the House would take up the bill that combines trade and human rights legislation "should the Senate and president commit to support passage before the end of September." 

The House is prepared to take up the bill, under suspension of the rules, that would extend permanent normal trade relations to Moscow and include the so-called Magnitsky bill, which would punish Russian officials for their involvement involved in the death of whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who died in prison after reporting government corruption in Russia, Cantor said in a release. 

Lawmakers of both parties on Thursday questioned a State Department anti-terrorism agency's focus on al Qaeda and demanded that it also focus its efforts on threats coming out of Iran and Pakistan.

Alberto Fernandez, the coordinator of the interagency Center of Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, testified before the House Foreign Affairs panel on terrorism about his center's mission to push back against Islamist messaging. He said the center focuses on five main groups: 

• Somalia's al Shabab, which is affiliated with al Qaeda; 

• al Qaida senior leadership and its allies in Pakistan and Afghanistan; 

• al Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb and its affiliates in North and West Africa; 

• al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen and the Arabic peninsula; and 

• al Qaeda in Iraq.

That limited list did not sit well with some lawmakers.

“You need to start focusing on Iran,” said Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.). “Just a word of caution.”