chore(release): prepare v0.8.45 flash release

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,70 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [0.8.45] - 2026-05-25
+
+### Added
+
+- **Voice input in the command palette.** Type `/voice` or select the Voice
+  action to speak a turn via a configured STT helper; footer status keeps you
+  informed while recording (#2047).
+- **RLM session objects.** `rlm_session_objects` lists the active session
+  prompt, history, and transcript as symbolic session:// refs, and `rlm_open`
+  now accepts `session_object` to inspect them without copying into the parent
+  context. Includes the RLM branching roadmap (#2047).
+- **`/balance` command scaffold.** `codewhale /balance` now has an honest
+  placeholder command surface for the provider-billing work, instead of
+  silently pretending balance lookup exists before the provider capability
+  layer is ready (#2035).
+- **Deterministic sub-agent nicknames.** Sub-agents now receive stable
+  whale-species names in the TUI while preserving the raw agent id in the
+  detail popup, making parallel child work easier to scan (#2035).
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Migration FAQ for DeepSeek-TUI users.** README and rebrand docs now spell
+  out the new Cargo install commands, how to uninstall old `deepseek-tui` /
+  `deepseek-tui-cli` packages, which `.deepseek` files are safe to clean up,
+  and how `~/.codewhale/` / `.codewhale/` take over without breaking legacy
+  `DEEPSEEK_*` env vars.
+- **CNB automation guidance is gated.** The CNB mirror docs now distinguish
+  trusted push/web/API-triggered pipelines from untrusted issue, PR, and NPC
+  comment events, and recommend using CodeWhale automation to open PRs rather
+  than recursively self-merging release changes.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Slash-command recovery no longer leaves stale drafts.** Restored sessions
+  no longer resurrect `/sessions` and other slash-command tails as retry
+  drafts in the composer (#2047).
+- **\"Remember for this tool\" applies to the current turn.** Checking
+  \"Remember\" now syncs `ActiveTurnState.auto_approve` so subsequent tool
+  calls in the same turn are auto-approved, not just future turns (#2047,
+  supersedes #2041). Thanks @gaord for the reproduction and fix.
+- **User messages stand out in the transcript.** The TUI now gives user turns
+  a clearer visual treatment so request/answer boundaries are easier to see
+  (#1995, closes #1672). Thanks @reidliu41 for the focused fix and
+  @lpeng1711694086-lang for the original report.
+- **`SKILL.md` YAML block scalars parse correctly.** Skill descriptions using
+  YAML `|` or `>` block scalar syntax now reach `/skills`, `load_skill`, and
+  model prompt context as the intended description text (#1908, closes #1907).
+  Thanks @zlh124 for the parser-level repro, implementation, and tests.
+- **Large file walks are easier to interrupt.** `file_search` traversal is
+  cancellable, and `list_dir` runs behind a blocking worker with a timeout so
+  stop/cancel requests are not stuck behind long synchronous filesystem walks
+  (#2035). Thanks @h3c-hexin for the overlapping cancellation report and
+  implementation notes in #2044.
+- **`/model` picker remembers your choice on Esc.** Navigating the two-pane
+  picker and pressing Esc now applies the last-highlighted model instead of
+  discarding it. Opening and immediately pressing Esc still cancels cleanly
+  (#2037).
+- **Finished sub-agents auto-collapse in the sidebar.** Completed, cancelled,
+  and failed sub-agents no longer take space in the agent panel; only running
+  agents remain visible. The header still shows the full count (#2040).
+- **Whale dark palette refreshed.** Elevated surfaces (+14% brightness),
+  selection background (+20%), and borders (+10% contrast) for better
+  layer separation and focus clarity (#2012, #2015).
+
 ## [0.8.44] - 2026-05-24
 
 ### Added
@@ -4806,7 +4870,8 @@ Welcome — and thank you.
 - Hooks system and config profiles
 - Example skills and launch assets
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/compare/v0.8.44...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/compare/v0.8.45...HEAD
+[0.8.45]: https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/compare/v0.8.44...v0.8.45
 [0.8.44]: https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/compare/v0.8.43...v0.8.44
 [0.8.43]: https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/compare/v0.8.42...v0.8.43
 [0.8.42]: https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/compare/v0.8.41...v0.8.42

Cargo.toml

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ default-members = ["crates/cli", "crates/app-server", "crates/tui"]
 resolver = "2"
 
 [workspace.package]
-version = "0.8.44"
+version = "0.8.45"
 edition = "2024"
 # Rust 1.88 stabilized `let_chains` in `if`/`while` conditions, which the
 # codebase relies on extensively. Cargo enforces this so users on older