Friday's global agenda: Rebel opposition in disarray ahead of international talks on Syria

Your morning global affairs speed-read

Syria's main exiled opposition group ripped into Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday, just two days before an international meeting in Qatar aimed at shoring up the opposition to President Bashar Assad. Clinton this week said the United States would propose names of individuals and organizations that should be part of a broad-based opposition, drawing the ire of the Paris-based Syrian National Council. 

"Any discussions aimed at passing over the Syrian National Council or at creating new bodies to replace it are an attempt to undermine the Syrian revolution by sowing the seeds of division," the SNC said in a statement. [Agence France-Presse] 

More questions about Libya: Congressional Republicans rekindled their allegations that the administration is hiding what happened at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi following reports that Libyan police may have been casing the compound the day it was attacked. Separately, the CIA revealed for the first time on Thursday its role in providing security for the U.S. mission, which largely served as cover for CIA activities in eastern Libya. [The Wall Street Journal]

Trade, not aid: The International Monetary Fund opens a conference today on whether to give Malawi an extra $157 million as the southeastern African country seeks to wean itself off U.S. and other foreign aid. [The Wall Street Journal]

In other news: 

China is imposing massive restrictions ahead of its once-in-a-decade power change during the 18th Party Congress, which starts next Thursdsay. [The New York Times]

The UN is accusing Syria's rebels of war crimes. [BBC]

The defense minister's ensnarement in a corruption probe is fueling speculation in Russia. [The Washington Post]

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