ci: add GitHub Action to auto-update README Recent Updates

Add a workflow that regenerates the Recent Updates section from git
history on every push to main that touches .md files. Includes a
Python script that reads git log, strips conventional-commit prefixes,
deduplicates, and replaces the section via regex.

Author: Climateyousheng

.github/scripts/update_recent.py

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Regenerate the 'Recent Updates' section of README.md from git history."""
+
+import re
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+
+def get_recent_md_commits(count=10):
+    """Return the most recent commits that added or modified .md files."""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [
+            "git", "log", "--no-merges",
+            "--diff-filter=AM",
+            "--format=%ad\t%s",
+            "--date=short",
+            "--", "*.md",
+        ],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        check=True,
+    )
+
+    prefix_re = re.compile(
+        r"^(feat|fix|docs|refactor|test|chore|perf|ci|build|style)(\(.+?\))?:\s*",
+        re.IGNORECASE,
+    )
+
+    seen = set()
+    entries = []
+    for line in result.stdout.strip().splitlines():
+        if not line or "[skip ci]" in line:
+            continue
+        parts = line.split("\t", 1)
+        if len(parts) != 2:
+            continue
+        date, subject = parts
+        subject = prefix_re.sub("", subject).strip()
+        key = f"{date}\t{subject}"
+        if key in seen:
+            continue
+        seen.add(key)
+        entries.append(f"- **{date}** — {subject}")
+        if len(entries) >= count:
+            break
+
+    return entries
+
+
+def update_readme(entries):
+    """Replace the Recent Updates block in README.md, write only if changed."""
+    path = "README.md"
+    with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        content = f.read()
+
+    block = "\n".join(entries)
+
+    pattern = re.compile(r"(## Recent Updates\n).*?(\n---)", re.DOTALL)
+    if not pattern.search(content):
+        print("ERROR: Could not find Recent Updates section in README.md", file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    updated = pattern.sub(rf"\g<1>\n{block}\n\2", content)
+
+    if updated == content:
+        print("README.md is already up to date.")
+        return
+
+    with open(path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write(updated)
+    print("README.md updated with latest Recent Updates.")
+
+
+def main():
+    entries = get_recent_md_commits()
+    if not entries:
+        print("No qualifying commits found; leaving README.md unchanged.")
+        return
+    update_readme(entries)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

.github/workflows/update-readme.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+name: Update README Recent Updates
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+    paths:
+      - '**/*.md'
+      - '.github/scripts/update_recent.py'
+      - '.github/workflows/update-readme.yml'
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: update-readme
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  update-readme:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[skip ci]')"
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Update Recent Updates section
+        run: python3 .github/scripts/update_recent.py
+
+      - name: Commit and push if changed
+        run: |
+          git diff --quiet README.md && exit 0
+          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+          git add README.md
+          git commit -m "docs: update Recent Updates section [skip ci]"
+          git pull --rebase
+          git push

README.md

@@ -15,11 +15,16 @@ Documentation for the Bristol version of the UK Met Office Unified Model.
 
 ## Recent Updates
 
-- **2026-02-27** — Added [CMIP7 outcomes page](CMIP7_outcomes.md) and QR code
-- **2026-02-26** — Updated CMIP7 Ozone v2.0 data
-- **2026-02-23** — Updated [University HPC](University_HPC.md) and [Model install](Model_install.md) guides
-- **2026-02-20** — Added PPE validation heatmap and regional bias sections for xqjc candidates
-- **2026-02-20** — Added [terrestrial ensemble tuning](CMIP7_soil_ensembles.md) documentation
+- **2026-03-02** — Add key updates and recent updates sections to README
+- **2026-02-27** — Add CMIP7 outcomes page and QR code
+- **2026-02-26** — Update CMIP7 Ozone v2.0 data
+- **2026-02-23** — Update University_HPC.md
+- **2026-02-23** — Update Model_install.md
+- **2026-02-20** — Add regional bias sections for all 6 xqjc candidates, folded by default
+- **2026-02-20** — Add bias annotations to validation results tables
+- **2026-02-20** — Add PPE validation heatmap for xqjcg candidates
+- **2026-02-20** — Add terrestrial ensemble tuning documentation
+- **2026-02-19** — Document aerosol mods, conflicts, and xqhug/xqhum experiments
 
 ---
 [How to edit these pages](Editing_guide.md)