Daily News Briefing Skill

Automated daily news briefing system that generates comprehensive tech and financial reports with AI-powered commentary and delivers them via configured messaging channels. Supports dual-search architecture with Baidu API (preferred when configured) and DuckDuckGo fallback (always available, no API key required).

Installation & Configuration

Step 1: Install via ClawHub

Option A: From ClawHub (Published)

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Option B: From Local Directory

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Step 2: Configure Environment Variables (Optional)

Note: The skill has a built-in fallback to DuckDuckGo if no Baidu API key is configured. Baidu API provides better structured data, but DuckDuckGo works perfectly fine without any API keys.

With Baidu API (Recommended for Better Results):

Create a configuration file with your Baidu Search API key:

Option A: System-wide (Recommended for servers)

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Option B: User-specific

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Without API Key (Uses DuckDuckGo):

The skill will automatically use DuckDuckGo web search if no Baidu API key is configured:

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Compare Search Methods:

Recommendation: Start with DuckDuckGo to test quickly, add Baidu API later if you need better content previews.

Step 3: Customize Delivery Settings (Optional)

Edit the delivery script to match your preferences:

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Key settings to modify:

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Step 4: Set Up Cron Job for Automated Delivery

For daily delivery at 9:00 AM:

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Add these lines (adjust paths if needed):

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Custom delivery times:

Step 5: Test the Setup

Test API Key:

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Generate News Manually:

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Check log: INLINECODE6

Test Delivery:

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Check log: INLINECODE7

Verify Cron is Running:

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Step 6: Customize News Content (Optional)

Modify search queries in generate-briefing.py:

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Adjust article count: Change count=3 to 1-5 articles per category.

Customize AI commentary rules: See references/CONFIGURATION.md for pattern examples.

Components

Scripts

• - generate-briefing.py: Main news generation script. Fetches from 4 categories:

• - deliver-briefing.sh: Delivery wrapper with multiple fallback strategies:

• - news-deliver-direct.py: Alternative Python-based delivery with headline extraction

References

See references/ for:

• - CONFIGURATION.md: Detailed setup guide and customization options
• APIREFERENCE.md: Baidu API integration details and search query examples
• TEMPLATEEXAMPLES.md: Sample briefing outputs and markdown templates

Customization

Change Delivery Time

Edit crontab lines (format: minute hour day month weekday):

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Modify Search Queries

Edit queries in generate-briefing.py:

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Add Custom Commentary Rules

See references/API_REFERENCE.md for commentary rule patterns.

Troubleshooting

No results from Baidu API:

• - Verify BAIDU_API_KEY is set and valid (length > 20 chars)
• Check /var/log/daily-news.log for detailed errors

Delivery fails:

• - Check INLINECODE18
• Verify OpenClaw CLI is installed: INLINECODE19
• Confirm target user ID is correct in script config

Wrong headlines extracted:

• - Script supports both Chinese and English headers
• Ensure markdown file has proper structure with ## 🖥️ and ## 📈 sections

Multi-Channel Delivery Configuration

Supported Channels

The skill supports any OpenClaw-configured messaging channel:

Configure Channel in Script

Method 1: Environment Variable

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Method 2: Edit deliver-briefing.sh

Find line ~50 and modify:
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Channel-Specific Setup

For Telegram:

1. 1. Create a bot via @BotFather
2. Add bot to channel/group
3. Get chat ID using INLINECODE33
4. Set NEWS_TARGET_USER="@channelname" or numeric ID

For Discord:

1. 1. Create application in Discord Developer Portal
2. Invite bot to server with proper permissions
3. Use format: INLINECODE35
4. Test with: INLINECODE36

For QQBot:

• - Ensure QQ Bot is configured in OpenClaw
• Use c2c format for private messages
• Target user ID available from chat metadata

Output Format

Generated briefing includes:

• - Date and timestamp header
• 4 news categories with 3 articles each (customizable)
• AI-powered Jarvis commentary for each article
• Source attribution and read-more links
• File size: typically 10-15KB

Delivery message includes:

• - Preview with first headlines from tech & finance sections
• INLINECODE37 attachment tag for full markdown report
• Footer with next delivery time notice

Logs & Monitoring

View recent logs:
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Troubleshooting

No results from Baidu API:

• - Verify BAIDU_API_KEY is set and valid (length > 20 chars)
• Check /var/log/daily-news.log for "Found X results" messages
• Test: INLINECODE42
• Fallback: If Baidu API fails, script automatically uses DuckDuckGo (look for "falling back to DuckDuckGo" in logs)

No results from any source:

• - Check network connectivity: INLINECODE43
• Verify firewall isn't blocking outbound HTTP/HTTPS
• Test DuckDuckGo directly: INLINECODE44
• Review /var/log/daily-news.log for detailed error messages

Delivery fails:

• - Check /var/log/news-delivery.log for specific error
• Verify OpenClaw CLI is installed: INLINECODE47
• Confirm target user/channel ID is correct in script config
• Test manual delivery: INLINECODE48

Wrong headlines extracted:

• - Script supports both Chinese (## 🖥️ 中国科技新闻) and English headers
• Ensure markdown file has proper structure with section markers
• Check log shows file size > 1KB (not empty fallback)
• DuckDuckGo results may have longer titles - this is normal

Cron job not running:

• - Verify cron service: INLINECODE50
• Check crontab entries: INLINECODE51
• Test cron timing: wait for scheduled time or adjust to test immediately
• Check log rotation: old logs may be archived

Check which search method is being used:
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Expected output: 📊 Search method used: baidu or INLINECODE53

Notes

• - Script auto-generates filename with current date: INLINECODE54
• Logs stored in /var/log/daily-news.log and INLINECODE56
• Fallback content generated if search returns no results (graceful degradation)
• Supports multiple messaging channels via OpenClaw CLI
• All credentials managed via environment variables (no hardcoded secrets)