diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index fba9edc5..d4bb398d 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -4,8 +4,16 @@ vim: spelllang=en spell tw=78
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+Changes in 1.6.0:
+
+* Added all native Ethernet drivers for kernels 5.14 and 6.1.
+* Dropped support for kernels < 3.0.
+* Allow to query the scanning progress via API.
+* Added EoE set IP command via command-line-tool.
+
 Changes since 1.5.2:
 
+* Added feature flag API.
 * Fixed FoE timeout calculation bug.
 
 Changes in 1.5.2:
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c6f7997c..22341d6c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-#  Copyright (C) 2006-2023  Florian Pose, Ingenieurgemeinschaft IgH
+#  Copyright (C) 2006-2024  Florian Pose, Ingenieurgemeinschaft IgH
 #
 #  This file is part of the IgH EtherCAT Master.
 #
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ AC_PREREQ(2.59)
 # - Update version number below
 # - make dist-bzip2
 #
-AC_INIT([ethercat],[1.5.2],[fp@igh.de])
+AC_INIT([ethercat],[1.6.0],[fp@igh.de])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([autoconf])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([-Wall -Wno-override -Werror dist-bzip2 subdir-objects foreign])
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
diff --git a/include/ecrt.h b/include/ecrt.h
index 9cdd10e1..554f74d1 100644
--- a/include/ecrt.h
+++ b/include/ecrt.h
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
 
 /** EtherCAT realtime interface minor version number.
  */
-#define ECRT_VER_MINOR 5
+#define ECRT_VER_MINOR 6
 
 /** EtherCAT realtime interface version word generator.
  */