diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index 9399e9acf3e..5eaa1a43bc1 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION      	"3.1b1"
+#define PY_VERSION      	"3.1b1+"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 218467a05d3..4b013f76be6 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,18 @@ Python News
 
 (editors: check NEWS.help for information about editing NEWS using ReST.)
 
+What's New in Python 3.1 release candiate 1?
+============================================
+
+*Release date: XXXX-XX-XX*
+
+Core and Builtins
+-----------------
+
+Library
+-------
+
+
 What's New in Python 3.1 beta 1?
 ================================