diff --git a/NEWS.rst b/NEWS.rst
index aa335b6..cea02e8 100644
--- a/NEWS.rst
+++ b/NEWS.rst
@@ -3,6 +3,42 @@
 ======
 
 
+2.1.0rc1
+========
+
+This release is compatible with version 2.0.0.
+
+* Built-in web interface for creating and managing address books and calendars
+  * can be extended with web plugins
+* Much faster storage backend
+* Significant reduction in memory usage
+* Improved logging
+  * Include paths (of invalid items / requests) in log messages
+  * Include configuration values causing problems in log messages
+  * Log warning message for invalid requests by clients
+  * Log error message for invalid files in the storage backend
+  * No stack traces unless debugging is enabled
+* Time range filter also regards overwritten recurrences
+* Items that couldn't be filtered because of bugs in VObject are always
+  returned (and a warning message is logged)
+* Basic error checking of configuration files
+* File system locking isn't disabled implicitly anymore, instead a new
+  configuration option gets introduced
+* The permissions of the lock file are not changed anymore
+* Support for sync-token
+* Support for external authentication managed by the WSGI server or reverse
+  proxy
+* Support for client-side SSL certificates
+* Rights plugins can decide if access to an item is granted explicitly
+  * Respond with 403 instead of 404 for principal collections of non-existing
+    users when `owner_only plugin` is used (information leakage)
+* Authentication plugins can provide login and password from environment
+  * new `remote_user plugin`, that gets login from REMOTE_USER environment
+    variable
+  * new `http_x_remote_user` plugin, that gets login from X-Remote-User HTTP
+    header
+
+
 2.0.0 - Little Big Radish
 =========================
 
diff --git a/radicale/__init__.py b/radicale/__init__.py
index 2803fd0..22a79a1 100644
--- a/radicale/__init__.py
+++ b/radicale/__init__.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ import vobject
 
 from . import auth, rights, storage, web, xmlutils
 
-VERSION = "2.0.0"
+VERSION = "2.1.0rc1"
 
 NOT_ALLOWED = (
     client.FORBIDDEN, (("Content-Type", "text/plain"),),