diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 1258aef..fe99f52 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         python -m pip install -U pip
         python -m pip install -U setuptools wheel autopep8
+        python -m pip install -U -r requirements.txt
     - name: Generate Sync Stub Files
       run: python make_sync_stubs.py
     - name: Build
diff --git a/NEWS.rst b/NEWS.rst
index 5eb88d8..bf3db61 100644
--- a/NEWS.rst
+++ b/NEWS.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,39 @@ Version history
 .. py:currentmodule:: aiohappybase
 
 
+AIOHappyBase 1.3.0
+------------------
+
+Release date: 2020-03-10
+
+- Added support for the async framed transport and compact protocol that were
+  added in ThriftPy2 4.10 (which is now the new minimum version).
+
+- Implemented counter batching with ``Batch.counter_inc()``
+  and ``Batch.counter_dec()``.
+
+- Added ``Table.append()`` to utilize the append Thrift endpoint.
+
+- ``Connection`` now internally utilizes ``make_aio_client()`` to create the
+  internal Thrift client.
+
+  - All additional keyword arguments provided to ``Connection`` instances will
+    be passed to the client.
+
+  - This enables support for SSL sockets and any additional features future
+    versions of ``thriftpy2`` add.
+
+- Implemented a ``sync`` subpackage to enable backwards compatibility with
+  the original ``HappyBase`` synchronized API and ease the transition process.
+
+  - It is mostly autogenerated at runtime from the async code to simplify
+    maintenance and ensure all features are available.
+
+  - A simple ``happybase.py`` module is included to complete the backwards
+    compatibility. If ``HappyBase`` is already installed, that *should*
+    take precedence.
+
+
 AIOHappyBase 1.2.0
 ------------------
 
@@ -11,13 +44,19 @@ Release date: 2019-11-28
 
 First release of the async version of HappyBase!
 
-The version number is the same because the API is almost identical (albeit async) except for a few updates:
+The version number is the same because the API is almost identical
+(albeit async) except for a few updates:
 
-- Only Python 3.6+ will be supported (I like f-strings and ordered dictionaries, sue me:P)
-- ``Connection`` and ``ConnectionPool`` objects can be used as context managers (async and regular).
-- Explicitly closing non-context managed ``Connection`` and ``ConnectionPool`` objects is now required due the asyncio event loop being mostly unavailable during __del__.
+- Only Python 3.6+ will be supported (I like f-strings and ordered dictionaries,
+  sue me:P)
+- ``Connection`` and ``ConnectionPool`` objects can be used as context managers
+  (async and regular).
+- Explicitly closing non-context managed ``Connection`` and ``ConnectionPool``
+  objects is now required due the asyncio event loop being mostly unavailable
+  during __del__.
 - ``Connection.create_table()`` now returns the Table instance.
-- Support for the framed transport and compact protocol have been dropped until thriftpy2.contrib.aio supports them as well.
+- Support for the framed transport and compact protocol have been dropped until
+  ``thriftpy2.contrib.aio`` supports them as well.
 
 
 HappyBase 1.2.0