Data Vis Dispatch, January 6: Venezuela, New Year's resolutions, and 2025 assessments

Welcome back to the 226th edition of the Data Vis Dispatch, once again in its regular format after several weeks of special editions. We are looking forward to a year full of exciting and well-crafted visualizations! Every week, we’ll be publishing a collection of the best small and large data visualizations we find, especially from news organizations — to celebrate data journalism, data visualization, simple charts, elaborate maps, and their creators.

Recurring topics this week include the capture of Maduro in Venezuela, hopeful and tragic retrospectives on 2025, as well as resolutions for 2026.

Over the weekend, the United States bombed Venezuela and captured the president, Nicolás Maduro. The operation has prompted widespread debate about its legality, future implications, and the role of oil, which appears to be a central motive in the attack. Visualizations documented the key moments of the attack and capture, as well as the preceding U.S. military buildup.

DIE ZEIT: <a href="https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2026-01/us-angriff-venezuela-rekonstruktion-militaer-festnahme-nicolas-maduro"><strong>Wie die USA Nicolás Maduro entführten</strong></a><strong> </strong>[<em>Chart description: </em>Aircraft and warships are targeting military objectives in and around the capital, Caracas.], January 4 — DIE ZEIT: **Wie die USA Nicolás Maduro entführten** [*Chart description:* Aircraft and warships are targeting military objectives in and around the capital, Caracas.], January 4

El Diario Sur: Los mapas del ataque de EE UU a Venezuela [Maps of the US attack on Venezuela], January 3

The New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/03/world/americas/maduro-capture-venezuela-strikes-maps.html"><strong>Maps, Videos and Photos: How Maduro’s Capture Unfolded</strong></a>, January 4 — The New York Times: **Maps, Videos and Photos: How Maduro’s Capture Unfolded**, January 4

El País: <a href="https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-01-03/maps-of-the-us-attack-on-venezuela-targets-airspace-and-deployed-fleet.html"><strong>Maps of the US attack on Venezuela: Targets, airspace and deployed fleet</strong></a>, January 3 — El País: **Maps of the US attack on Venezuela: Targets, airspace and deployed fleet**, January 3

El Diario Sur: <a href="https://www.diariosur.es/internacional/america-latina/imponente-despliegue-militar-norteamericano-mejor-superportaaviones-10000-20260103094854-ntrc.html"><strong>Así es el imponente despliegue militar norteamericano: su mejor superportaaviones y 10.000 soldados en el Caribe</strong></a> [<em>This is the impressive American military deployment: its best supercarrier and 10,000 soldiers in the Caribbean</em>], January 3 — El Diario Sur: **Así es el imponente despliegue militar norteamericano: su mejor superportaaviones y 10.000 soldados en el Caribe** [*This is the impressive American military deployment: its best supercarrier and 10,000 soldiers in the Caribbean*], January 3

By The Numbers: <a href="https://hannahritchie.substack.com/p/venezuelan-oil"><strong>Five(ish) charts that give some context to Venezuelan oil</strong></a>, January 5 — By The Numbers: **Five(ish) charts that give some context to Venezuelan oil**, January 5

Radio y Televisión Española:<a href="https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20260106/petroleo-ataque-eeuu-venezuela-mercado/16882758.shtml"> <strong>El papel del petróleo en el ataque de EE.UU. a Venezuela: todo lo que puede pasar ahora, negro sobre blanco </strong></a>[<em>Chart title: Destinations of Venezuelan oil</em>], January 6 — Radio y Televisión Española: **El papel del petróleo en el ataque de EE.UU. a Venezuela: todo lo que puede pasar ahora, negro sobre blanco** [*Chart title: Destinations of Venezuelan oil*], January 6

At the start of 2026, a plethora of visualizations reflecting on 2025 were released. Among them were assessments of media and search trends from the past year.

Not-Ship:<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.not-ship.com/wikipedi/"><strong>Wikipedia's most-read pages reveal our shared curiosities</strong></a><strong>, </strong>January 1 <span class="badge">Detailed breakdown of each day</span> — Not-Ship: **Wikipedia's most-read pages reveal our shared curiosities**, January 1 Detailed breakdown of each day

YouGov: <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/53796-what-news-stories-did-britons-hear-most-about-in-2025?utm_source=website_article&utm_medium=bluesky&utm_campaign=53796"><strong>What news stories did Britons hear most about in 2025?</strong></a>, December 31 — YouGov: **What news stories did Britons hear most about in 2025?**, December 31

Other visualizations ultimately summarized the continuous tragedies of 2025: from the ongoing destruction in Gaza to deaths in the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the growing number of class suspensions in the Philippines due to natural disasters.

Reuters: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/DEMOLITION/jnvwkkxdlvw/"><strong>Anatomy of destruction</strong></a>, December 31 — Reuters: **Anatomy of destruction**, December 31

The Guardian: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/04/ice-2025-deaths-timeline"><strong>2025 was ICE’s deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 31 people who died in custody</strong></a>, January 4 — The Guardian: **2025 was ICE’s deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 31 people who died in custody**, January 4

Data Dictionary: <a href="https://www.data-dict.com/class-suspensions/"><strong>Suspended, cancelled and lost</strong>,</a> January 1 — Data Dictionary: **Suspended, cancelled and lost**, January 1

However, there are also visualizations about 2025 that allow us to look hopefully toward 2026.

The New York Times:<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/05/upshot/congestion-pricing-one-year.html"> <strong>27 Million Fewer Car Trips: Life After a Year of Congestion Pricing</strong></a>, January 5 — The New York Times: **27 Million Fewer Car Trips: Life After a Year of Congestion Pricing**, January 5

BBC: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz947djd3d3o"><strong>Record year for wind and solar electricity in Great Britain in 2025</strong></a>, January 2 — BBC: **Record year for wind and solar electricity in Great Britain in 2025**, January 2

Of course, the new year brings new resolutions, and the classics are back: eating healthily, saving money, and exercising.

FlowingData: <a href="https://flowingdata.com/2026/01/05/new-years-resolutions-for-men-and-women/"><strong>New Year’s Resolutions for Men and Women</strong></a>, January 1 — FlowingData: **New Year’s Resolutions for Men and Women**, January 1

The Washington Post: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2026/healthy-eating-longevity-quiz/"><strong>Are you eating for longevity? Take this quiz to find out</strong></a>, January 1 — The Washington Post: **Are you eating for longevity? Take this quiz to find out**, January 1

The Guardian: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/ng-interactive/2026/jan/06/new-year-resolutions-savings-goals-calculator"><strong>How long will it take you to reach your savings goals for the new year? – calculator</strong></a>, January 6 — The Guardian: **How long will it take you to reach your savings goals for the new year? – calculator**, January 6

Donald Trump and his associates were mapped using circular charts. As were overweight animals in the United Kingdom.

El Mundo: <a href="https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2025/12/31/69525edd21efa04c4e8b4586.html"><strong>El clan Trump: un emporio insaciable con ínfulas de familia real</strong></a> [<em>The Trump clan: an insatiable empire with delusions of grandeur</em>], December 31 — El Mundo: **El clan Trump: un emporio insaciable con ínfulas de familia real** [*The Trump clan: an insatiable empire with delusions of grandeur*], December 31

The New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/31/us/trump-deals-policy-conflicts-web.html"><strong>Trump’s Tangled Web of Deal-Making, Policy and Riches</strong></a>, December 31 — The New York Times: **Trump’s Tangled Web of Deal-Making, Policy and Riches**, December 31

The European Correspondent:<a href="https://europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/pet-obesity"> <strong>Pet obesity</strong></a>, January 2 — The European Correspondent: **Pet obesity**, January 2

What else we found interesting

Will Lindberg, Brian Moore: <a href="https://infiniteballdrop.com/"><strong>Infinite Ball Drop</strong></a>, December 31 — Will Lindberg, Brian Moore: **Infinite Ball Drop**, December 31

Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Ein Neujahrsflug um die Erde [A New Year's flight around the world], January 1

Bloomberg: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-investment-outlooks/?srnd=phx-graphics-v2"><strong>Here’s (Almost) Everything Wall Street Expects in 2026</strong></a>, January 1 — Bloomberg: **Here’s (Almost) Everything Wall Street Expects in 2026**, January 1

Applications are open for…

A cartographic design intern at Esri Creative Lab
A graphics reporter (deleted data project) at The Guardian
A data storyteller at Kontinentalist

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Data Vis Dispatch, January 6: Venezuela, New Year's resolutions, and 2025 assessments

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