chore(release): 1.26.0-alpha.1 [skip ci]

# [1.26.0-alpha.1](v1.25.0...v1.26.0-alpha.1) (2026-03-05)

### Features

* add AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md; update README.md ([#420](#420)) ([7494928](7494928))
* add featured image caption block to templates ([#415](#415)) ([7db45fe](7db45fe))
* add new styles ([#416](#416)) ([37e82db](37e82db))
* remove newspack-grid, newspack-grid-small, newspack-grid-sidebar ([#417](#417)) ([86b8292](86b8292))
* use dynamic copyright date block in footer patterns ([#414](#414)) ([22c9bc8](22c9bc8))

Author: semantic-release-bot

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+# [1.26.0-alpha.1](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/compare/v1.25.0...v1.26.0-alpha.1) (2026-03-05)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* add AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md; update README.md ([#420](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/issues/420)) ([7494928](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/commit/7494928ab6d11c941bc153842fde0eb641b9f349))
+* add featured image caption block to templates ([#415](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/issues/415)) ([7db45fe](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/commit/7db45fe737d7cdf36b4c4ca435c090d3efd9e90b))
+* add new styles ([#416](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/issues/416)) ([37e82db](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/commit/37e82dbcdbd00a06adb4f70571783f5234ebb0a4))
+* remove newspack-grid, newspack-grid-small, newspack-grid-sidebar ([#417](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/issues/417)) ([86b8292](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/commit/86b8292489d51fdab5430f70bace3c50d32eb332))
+* use dynamic copyright date block in footer patterns ([#414](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/issues/414)) ([22c9bc8](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/commit/22c9bc826b385098379a5139511658c62880bba5))
+
 # [1.25.0](https://github.com/Automattic/newspack-block-theme/compare/v1.24.0...v1.25.0) (2026-03-02)
 
 

functions.php

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 /**
  * Newspack Block Theme functions and definitions
- * Version: 1.25.0
+ * Version: 1.26.0-alpha.1
  *
  * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/basics/theme-functions/
  *
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	define( 'NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_FILE', __FILE__ );
 	define( 'NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_FILE_PATH', plugin_dir_path( NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_FILE ) );
 	define( 'NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_URL', plugin_dir_url( NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_FILE ) );
-	define( 'NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_VERSION', '1.25.0' );
+	define( 'NEWSPACK_BLOCK_THEME_VERSION', '1.26.0-alpha.1' );
 }
 
 

package-lock.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@automattic/newspack-block-theme",
-	"version": "1.25.0",
+	"version": "1.26.0-alpha.1",
 	"description": "A forward-looking news theme designed and developed to be highly customizable with the WordPress block editor. Brought to you by Newspack: https://newspack.com",
 	"repository": {
 		"type": "git",

package.json

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Description: A forward-looking news theme designed and developed to be highly cu
 Requires at least: 6.2
 Tested up to: 6.8
 Requires PHP: 8.0
-Version: 1.25.0
+Version: 1.26.0-alpha.1
 License: GNU General Public License v2 or later
 License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
 Template: