diff --git a/.prev-version b/.prev-version
index a3dbbd6d3..4fedf1d20 100644
--- a/.prev-version
+++ b/.prev-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-6.12
+7.0
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e5524fa40..5ef98041c 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 GNU coreutils NEWS                                    -*- outline -*-
 
+* Noteworthy changes in release ?.? (????-??-??) [?]
+
+
 * Noteworthy changes in release 7.0 (2008-10-05) [beta]
 
 ** New programs
diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index 6924e0ea9..9de10cefe 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ gnulib_dir = /gnulib
 # Now that we have better (check.mk) tests, make this the default.
 export VERBOSE = yes
 
-old_NEWS_hash = 95fc7a26fa253d57cabe4b058167a4f9  -
+old_NEWS_hash = e56dee27333ad86eaf0aa7ac7d04fca5  -