diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d9f54c9..fdc32a6 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ consult the Subversion repository for "trader" on The ZAP Group web server
 at http://www.zap.org.au/services/svn/.
 
 
+Version 7.1 (29th July, 2011)
+-----------------------------
+
+A minor updated  release to fix configuration problems  on some platforms.
+In particular, some systems could  not find the Curses libraries or header
+files, so the  Autoconf macro that performed the  search was rewritten and
+extended.
+
+
 Version 7.0 (25th July, 2011)
 -----------------------------
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4990ac8..c343cfd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ dnl You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 dnl along with this program.  If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
 
 
-AC_INIT([Star Traders], [7.0], [J.Zaitseff@zap.org.au], [trader], [http://www.zap.org.au/software/trader/])
+AC_INIT([Star Traders], [7.1], [J.Zaitseff@zap.org.au], [trader], [http://www.zap.org.au/software/trader/])
 AC_DEFINE([PACKAGE_AUTHOR], ["John Zaitseff"], [Package author])
 
 AC_PREREQ([2.67])