Political strategist J.J. Rendón’s fight against neo-totalitarianism blends ancient and 21st-century methods.

Before he launched a quest to change the course of Latin American power, Venezuelan psychologist Juan José (J.J.) Rendón’s life resembled scenes from the 1970s action TV series Starsky & Hutch, as he shot films performing stunts in hot rods. Troubled by his sneaking into the movies with his pals, his grandmother urged J.J. to consider therapy, asking: “Why don’t you steal books instead?”

Today, Rendón lives in exile in Miami, a political consultant with methods just as cinematic as his youthful exploits but far more consequential. He enters into political combat for a select few of Latin America’s contenders — as long as they fall within his complex moral code.

Rendón, 54, deploys social media and grass-roots tactics to protect democracy from what he views as a neo-totalitarian threat, best personified by what he calls the “criminal gang” now running Venezuela. He often evokes comparisons to longtime conservative strategist Karl Rove. Foes, however, depict him as a Roger Stone–like figure, calling him the “king of black propaganda.” Rendón is deeply aware of the myth built around his controversial public self, but he won’t discuss his campaigns and methods in detail, labeling such talk “disrespectful."

The use of antibiotic drugs is one of the highest on the U.N.’s radar, which could have dire consequences for future treatment in the country.

Dr. Bill Frankland, a 106-year-old allergy expert, is one of the precious few still alive to remember Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, as well as the warning that followed just eight years later. Franklin recalls, “Fleming said there would be a revolution, but doctors will overuse it, and because bacteria have to survive … they will become resistant to it.”

Fleming’s predictions came true, and the link between antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use is well established. Countries around the world are still coming to grips with ways of rationing such drugs to limit the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. But it’s not just wealthy Western countries overusing the technology. In fact, eccording to a World Health Organization survey of 65 countries, people in Mongolia are the world’s most prolific users of antibiotics, with an average of 64.4 people per 1,000 on antibiotics on any given day.

From the 1940s to the ’70s, the Miss Subways beauty competition featured everyday working women in New York City subway cars.

Descend the stairs of the Union Square–14th Street subway station, and you’ll trade the aroma of hot nuts sold by street vendors for a blast of warm air. As you swipe your MetroCard through the turnstile and make your way to the platform, you’ll be accompanied by the sound of a subway performer’s guitar and the clink of change dropping into the open guitar case resting on the floor as fellow New Yorkers hustle to make the next train.

As you shuffle into the crowded car, your gaze might roam upward (granted, you’ve got limited options for places to look when you’re packed in like a sardine). A quick scan of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) advertisements will introduce you to Casper’s newest mattress or request your participation in an outpatient experiment. But from the 1940s through the ’70s, you would have been greeted with ads of smiling women: Miss Subways, the winners of a citywide monthly beauty competition.