v1.0.0 to v1.0.0

---

name: daily-news-digests

description: daily-news-digests — Build and maintain local scheduled news/research digest scripts that collect fresh items from multiple public sources and save Markdown locally.

version: 1.0.0

license: MIT

platforms:

- macos

- linux

metadata:

hermes:

tags:

- research

- monitoring

- news

- markdown

- cron

- launchd

- github

- x

- reddit

---

# Daily News Digests

Use this skill when the user asks for a recurring local news/research monitor that pulls fresh items from X/Twitter, GitHub, Reddit, Hacker News, RSS, release notes, forums, or other public sources and saves a Markdown digest locally.

The deliverable is a working collector plus verified scheduling, not a suggestion list.

## Default outcome

Create:

1. A deterministic script under `~/scripts/` or an explicitly requested project folder.

2. A dated Markdown output directory under the relevant vault area.

3. A `latest.md` copy for quick viewing.

4. A scheduler:

- macOS local/background: `launchd` LaunchAgent.

- Hermes/gateway-delivered work: Hermes cron only when delivery or LLM reasoning is needed.

5. A verified test run with real output, logs, and exit status.

## Source selection pattern

Prefer primary or near-primary feeds before broad web search:

1. Official GitHub repo:

- releases

- issues

- pull requests

- commits

- GitHub search

- Atom feeds for releases/commits

2. Official docs/blog/release notes RSS or sitemap if available.

3. X/Twitter via `xurl` when installed and authenticated.

4. Reddit public JSON search for relevant subreddits and global mentions.

5. Hacker News Algolia search.

6. Other forums/community sources only if the topic warrants it.

For X/Twitter, do not read or print `~/.xurl`. Check only `xurl auth status`; if auth is unavailable, make the script skip X cleanly and explain how the user can enable it outside the agent session.

## Implementation steps

1. Decide output path based on domain ownership.

- Assistant/system monitoring: `~/Notes/<Topic>/`

- Personal: `~/Notes/...`

- Work/finance/safety domains: delegate or ask the owning profile if needed.

2. Write a standalone script with:

- Configurable window, e.g. `HERMES_NEWS_DAYS`.

- Configurable output directory, e.g. `HERMES_NEWS_DIR`.

- Configurable max items per source.

- Per-source exception handling so one failing source does not kill the digest.

- Deduplication by canonical URL.

- Markdown grouped by source.

- A clear note that collection is not verification.

3. Run syntax validation:

- Python: `python3 -m py_compile <script>`.

4. Run the script manually and verify:

- Exit code is 0.

- Dated Markdown file exists and is non-empty.

- `latest.md` exists and is non-empty.

- Output includes real collected item counts.

5. Schedule it.

6. Kickstart/run the scheduled job once and verify scheduler logs.

## macOS launchd pattern

Use LaunchAgents for per-user local Markdown collectors:

- File: `~/Library/LaunchAgents/<reverse-domain-label>.plist`

- Validate: `plutil -lint <plist>`

- Load/reload:

```bash

UID_NUM="$(id -u)"

launchctl bootout "gui/$UID_NUM/<label>" 2>/dev/null || true

launchctl bootstrap "gui/$UID_NUM" "$HOME/Library/LaunchAgents/<label>.plist"

launchctl enable "gui/$UID_NUM/<label>"

launchctl kickstart -k "gui/$UID_NUM/<label>"

```

- Verify:

```bash

launchctl print "gui/$(id -u)/<label>"

tail -50 ~/Library/Logs/<name>.log

tail -50 ~/Library/Logs/<name>.err.log

```

Include a robust PATH in the plist EnvironmentVariables so Homebrew/user tools are found:

```xml

<key>PATH</key>

<string>/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:$HOME/.local/bin</string>

```

## Hermes cron vs launchd

Use launchd when:

- The task is local-only.

- It writes files locally.

- No LLM reasoning or gateway delivery is required.

- the user asked to “handle it” and “test it.”

Use Hermes cron when:

- The job should summarize, classify, or decide using an LLM each run.

- The output should be delivered to Telegram/Discord/etc.

- The job should chain from another Hermes cron job.

CLI sessions have no live delivery channel. Do not promise that default `deliver='origin'` cron jobs will message the user in the terminal.

## Verification checklist before final response

Report the actual evidence:

- Script path.

- Scheduler plist/job path.

- Output Markdown path.

- Last scheduler exit code or equivalent status.

- Log paths.

- Count of collected items if available.

- Whether stderr is empty.

Avoid saying “it should run.” Say either “it is loaded and tested” or state the blocker.

## Pitfalls

- Do not stop at a plan; create and run the collector.

- Do not let X/Twitter auth failure break the whole digest. Skip X with a note.

- Do not print credentials or auth files.

- Do not treat collected social posts as verified facts; mark the digest as collection-only.

- When a terminal command exits non-zero because a final diagnostic command was missing or shell-specific, inspect the useful output first. If service status and logs show success, do not over-correct a working scheduler.