COVER

WORLD

Syria's Clashing Armies

Defecting soldiers have formed a loose alliance of militias to defend their homes and families, but the regime of Bashar Assad is out to crush them without mercy

LETTERS

BUSINESS

PROFILE

Challenging Hugo Chávez

Can an old foe of Venezuela's populist President unseat him by stealing his mantle as champion of the poor?

THE CULTURE

Great Performances

Trophies, scrolls, statuettes — this time of year, actors get 'em by the zillions, like valet-parking stubs