Formula 1 is no stranger to tragedy, and the death of Jules Bianchi from injuries sustained in a crash in last October's Japanese Grand Prix is a reminder that danger is never far away, however distant it might appear.

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Over the last two decades, F1 had become accustomed to seeing drivers walk away or emerge uninjured from very big accidents, such as Robert Kubica's barrel roll in Canada in 2007 or Mark Webber's somersault in Valencia in 2010.
That is testament to the work done to improve safety following the terrible events of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, at which Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger were killed in two separate accidents and three other serious incidents provided a wake-up call for everyone involved.
The lessons of that weekend in Imola have never been lost on those in positions of influence in F1.
Any incident such as that inevitably leads to a period of introspection, and further changes have been made as a result of Bianchi's tragic loss.
In many ways, what happened to Bianchi can be described as a 'freak' accident. The odds against him going off, in a sector of the track covered by double waved yellow flags - the most extreme form of caution before a race stoppage - and hitting a recovery vehicle must have been huge.
There were even more unusual circumstances in the most serious accident since Senna's prior to Bianchi's, when Felipe Massa suffered a fractured skull when he was hit on the helmet by a suspension part that had come off another car in Hungary in 2009.
In both cases, though, lessons have been learned.
Helmets have been redesigned and strengthened as a consequence of Massa's crash.
And following Bianchi's accident, two key changes have been made for safety reasons. One was the addition of extra strengthening around the cockpit. The other was the introduction of a system called the virtual safety car under certain circumstances in races.
Bianchi suffered his injuries when he collided with a vehicle that had been sent out to recover another car.
All the correct procedures were followed at the time, but Bianchi nevertheless lost control of his car and went off the track.
The virtual safety car takes away from the drivers the decision of how much to slow down to be safe in such circumstances. When it is deployed, which typically would be in exactly the situation in Japan last year, the drivers have to drive to a 'delta' time on their dashboard.
That means the chances of a similar accident happening again are even smaller than they were before. Still, though, danger cannot be completely removed - even 50mph is potentially fast enough for an F1 car to aquaplane and go off the track.
Clearly, the biggest risk to an F1 driver's safety is his exposed head and there has been much debate about the fact that grand prix cars are open top, and the dangers that creates.
Many changes have been made in recent years to protect drivers' heads, and governing body the FIA continues to research the topic further.
There have been tests of jet fighter-style canopies and various other structures forward of the driver.
But each had major flaws and in the end the decision so far has been not to interfere with the DNA of the sport, which has always been for open-top, single-seater racing cars.
In this, there is a parallel with boxing, where the professional game continues without head protection when it is used in the amateur form.
There are other forms of motor racing where the driver's head is covered, but F1 is the pinnacle in terms of speed and challenge and that is where those who have the ability and the opportunity will always want to be.
No-one involved in motorsport is ever under the illusion that what they are doing is not dangerous.
Although an F1 racer had not suffered a fatality between the deaths of Senna and Bianchi, there have been several drivers killed in crashes in other categories.
Danger is an inherent part of life, and depending on your life choices you put yourself either more or less at risk.
Everyone who steps into a racing car knows that what they are doing could put their life in jeopardy, but they still choose to do it because of what it gives them back.
I got my opportunity in F1 because of Senna's death - I replaced him at Williams. I never forgot that. But, from my own point of view, I was able through my own incidents and accidents to compartmentalise the different aspects of the job.
For me, the joy and pleasure of competing and being part of a team outweighed the potential yet unknown risks of what might happen. And I suspect that is how 99% of the global population live their life.
We all know we're going to die one day, but we don't look at every footstep we take for fear of going down a sinkhole that might be about to open.
The draw of motor racing is great enough that some people will always put themselves at risk to do it - and that's not just the drivers.
Anyone who is involved in the running of a motor race is potentially in danger. During my time in F1, two marshals were killed. Despite standing behind barriers in designated 'safe' places, they were still hit by flying debris.
The same goes for spectators. Everything possible is done to protect them, but there is always the chance that something could happen.
When cars are travelling on the limit at 200mph and more, it is not possible to mitigate every risk.
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When you buy a ticket, "motor racing is dangerous" is written on it for a reason. The same phrase is on the passes you need to get into the paddock and work in F1.
Accepting that, though, is not the same as doing nothing about it. Those in positions of responsibility in the sport have sensibly and continually looked for solutions to reduce the risks.
The concept of safety runs through the rules governing the cars, which are not even allowed to venture on to a track before passing stringent impact tests.
Nowadays everyone involved in the sport has to think like that - in a way they might not have done 30 years ago or more.
And as much as the engineers who create the cars focus on performance, I do not know a single one who would ever compromise a driver's safety in their quest for extra speed.
F1 is about pushing the limits of human ability. That is a big part of its appeal to millions of people around the world.
Some people are just wired that way, to be competitive, to push beyond where most others will go.
Others watch for myriad reasons - because the racing is exciting, or because they admire what the people involved are doing, and understand what it means and - let's accept it - because they know what's at stake.
Throughout F1 there is an absolute understanding of the importance of safety, from the sport's supremo Bernie Ecclestone down.
In the 21 years I have been hanging around grand prix tracks, safety has improved considerably - to the point where people are now asking whether the sport has been sanitised so much that the perception of danger has been reduced too far.
As Bianchi's accident proved, the danger is still very much there.
It happened at one of the older race tracks, in the most challenging circumstances - wet weather, fading light, on a very demanding corner, over a blind brow.
There is less risk of that happening at one of the newer, flatter tracks, with vast run-off areas. But unquestionably the drivers would say there is less pleasure in driving there than at Suzuka.
That's not because they think for one minute that the possibility of death should be part of the challenge.
It's because the consequences of a mistake are much greater. Instead of running wide and rejoining the track, they could damage the car, even have a crash. And even if you are 'uninjured' in a crash, believe me, they all hurt.
It is the difference between putting 50p on a roulette wheel and £50,000.
The bigger the competition, the higher the stakes, the greater the satisfaction.
Therein lies the fundamental conflict - and appeal - at the heart of F1.
David Coulthard was talking to BBC Sport's Andrew Benson


It sounds like something straight from a science fiction novel but electric sheep are now grazing in the fields of north Wales.

Bangor University researchers are using the futuristic animals to find out how sheep respond to weather.
Two fake ewes are fitted with a battery-operated heating system, which simulates the heat produced by a live animal.
The team said the research was throwing up surprising results.
Complete with thick fleeces, ear tags and woolly tails, the e-sheep are moved around fields as part of a study to see how to improve welfare and productivity of flocks.
By measuring the difference between their internal and external temperature, researchers can work out how much energy the sheep lose by dealing with the weather.
They are being used to simulate how real flocks respond to weather conditions and the effectiveness of trees and "shelter belts" of rows of trees or shrubs in protecting them.
PhD student Pip Jones said looking at weather on a "sheep scale" was providing some unexpected findings.
She said: "Sheep use a substantial amount of energy just staying warm, and lose a lot of heat when it's cool, especially when there's a wind chill.
"On a hot day, when the weather was around 30C (86F) at the study site, we put a model sheep in the direct sun, and the fleece recorded a temperature of 60C (140F) which is incredibly hot.
"This is where the shelter of trees could really contribute, creating shade in the summer and reducing the effects of wind chill in winter."
Dr Andy Smith, senior lecturer in forestry at Bangor University, said: "If it's very cold a sheep burns more energy to keep warm for survival and it needs more food.
"Conversely, if it's too hot, animals tend to eat less and seek shade to keep cool. Both situations affect weight gain and productivity because energy that could go into growth is used to regulate metabolism instead."


When was the last time you made a call from a phone box?

In 2003 in Scotland, there were nearly 7,000 phone boxes. Today there are fewer than 5,000 boxes - and just over 1,000 of them are the iconic red phone boxes.
As more and more of us use mobile phones, the number of call boxes will continue to decline.
But some communities across the country are turning to them for new and very different uses.
An old phone box in Comrie has a new lease of life... as a life saver.
Alan Moffat is the manager of the first response team in Comrie.
"It's a community access defibrillator site; we have converted it and put a defibrillator in for the use in the local community. I know it can save lives, it's probably one of the best chances people have of recovering from a cardiac arrest."
And that's the hope of the community who raised money in memory of a local woman, Irene McCartney, who died in 2012.
Her widower Gordon hopes it will make a real difference to someone in the future.
And art is in the spotlight in another phone box in Portobello.
Steven Wheatley had the vision to turn a disused phone box into a vibrant art exhibition space, the Porty Light Box, albeit on a small scale.
"I'm a bit nostalgic and I appreciate what they add to the street scene so I was keen to retain it," he explained.
Actually making a phone call from a phone box is becoming a thing of the past so will they eventually disappear altogether?
BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: "Clearly as people adopt mobile technology, as those networks expand there is less demand for them in some areas.
"Yet in some urban parts some of them are used very extensively, so there is a future for pay phones in the broader sense."
Today BT operates 4,864 kiosks in Scotland - it had 5,251 in 2012, 5,896 in 2007 and 6,962 in 2003. It currently has 1,129 red kiosks in Scotland.
During the last 12 months, no paid for call has been made from 1,723 of Scottish payphones, including 684 of the red boxes.
And in Alyth in Perthshire another transformation is planned.
Marian Bruce is the project coordinator of the Story Box.
"The idea was that it would be a time machine, a bit like Dr Who's Tardis," she said.
"You would go into the box and you would be able to move forwards and backwards in time to hear about the stories from Alyth.
"We're recording oral histories from people and stories about the town now from people who live and work in the town and we're also working with young people to think about the future of Alyth and what the town will be like when they're grown up."


New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has angrily confronted a heckler during a baseball game in Wisconsin.

The embattled Republican, cradling a basket of nachos, says to the fan "you're a big shot", their faces inches apart.
The drama unfolded during Sunday's Brewers v Cubs game in Milwaukee.
Mr Christie has the lowest approval ratings in the history of New Jersey, and stoked anger recently by using a beach closed to the public.
The baseball heckler, Brad Joseph, said that after Mr Christie walked past his seat, "I yelled his name and told him that he sucked".
"I called him a hypocrite because I thought it needed to be said," he added.
Chris Christie has gone from presidential timbre to political punching bag. Such is the tragic fate of the soon-to-be-former New Jersey governor.
It wasn't too long ago that Republican power brokers implored Mr Christie to be their white knight, riding into the Republican presidential nomination contest as Mitt Romney's campaign foundered.
At the time his in-your-face style seemed refreshingly candid and his popularity in Democratic-leaning New Jersey gave him cross-over national appeal.
Then the Bridgegate scandal - the pettiness of the apparent retribution scheme - tarnished his lustre. His idol, Bruce Springsteen, mocked him on late-night television. The media coverage grew more biting.
When Mr Christie eventually did try for the White House, Donald Trump had stolen his brash, unscripted thunder.
F Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that there are no second acts in American lives. That hardly seems the case these days, even for someone with Mr Christie's reputational scars.
He'll always have pugnacious attitude. Now, however, it's less a tool that will help him climb the political ladder than a bit of performance art for the entertainment of sports radio listeners and baseball spectators.
Earlier this month Mr Christie was booed by thousands of baseball fans at New York's Citi Field after he caught a foul ball that had landed in the stands.
Also this month, he clashed on live radio with one of his constituents whom he accused of being a "communist" and a "bum".
With a 15% approval rating, Mr Christie is considered to be one the least popular state governors in American history.
Once a contender for the White House, his popularity has plunged after the so-called Bridgegate scandal in which his senior aides were convicted of conspiring to close one of the busiest bridges in the world as political payback against a mayor that refused to endorse Mr Christie.


Shares in Kingfisher, the owner of B&Q and Screwfix, have slumped after revenues were hit by weak French sales and restructuring costs.

Kingfisher shares were the worst performer on the London stock market in early trade, falling more than 6%.
In the first three months of the year sales dropped 0.6% in stores open for at least 12 months.
Sales in its French chains Castorama and Brico Depot fell 5.5%. The firm is cautious about future prospects there.
However, sales at its UK Screwfix business surged 12.6%, or by 20.3% when newly opened stores were included.
Total group sales, including those at newly opened stores, were up 5% to Â£2.86bn.
In January 2016 Kingfisher chief executive Veronique Laury announced a five-year plan that aimed to increase profits by Â£500m.
That plan will cost Â£800m to deliver, including a revamp of its IT and online presence.
Announcing the latest results, Ms Laury said: "We remain confident in the size of the prize and our ability to deliver our long-term plan.
"Strong performance in Screwfix and Poland continues, though performance in France remains weak.
"In addition, we are experiencing some business disruption given the volume of change, as we clear old ranges, remerchandise new ranges and continue the roll out of our unified IT platform."


Donegal midfielder Rory Kavanagh has announced his retirement from inter-county football because of work and family considerations.

The 32-year-old St Eunan's clubman won the All-Ireland title with Donegal in 2012 and was in the side which lost to Kerry in last year's decider.
Kavanagh also helped Donegal to three Ulster Championship triumphs and a National League title.
He made his debut against Cork in 2001 and clocked up 132 Donegal appearances.
Kavanagh's last game for Donegal came in the defeat by Kerry in September's All-Ireland final at Croke Park.
The highpoint of the Letterkenny man's career was winning the Sam Maguire Cup two year earlier thanks to victory over Mayo.
Kavanagh, who will continue to play for St Eunan's, has become the first member of that All-Ireland winning squad to retire.
He played 49 championship games for Donegal, starting with his Ulster SFC debut in 2002.
Eamon McGee, Karl Lacey and Mark McHugh have been among the Donegal players to pay tribute to Kavanagh's service to the county.
"Rory Kavanagh was one of the best players I've played with. A true professional on and off the field. Taught me so much," said McHugh on Twitter.
McGee described Kavanagh as "without a doubt one of the best I've played with" while Lacey said the St Eunan's club was "still an unbelievable athlete".


Communities Secretary Eric Pickles says 105,000 troubled families targeted by a government scheme have had their lives "turned around".

Mr Pickles told the House of Commons the Troubled Families Programme had targeted 120,000 families since 2010.
He said an extra £200m would be provided to extend the scheme to 400,000 more families between 2015-20.
Labour said it supported the "important work" of the programme and wanted it to go from "strength to strength".
Shadow communities and local government secretary Hilary Benn said the party would continue the work of the scheme if it wins the general election in May.
The Troubled Families Programme pays councils to work directly with a family to deal with their varied problems, including worklessness and truancy, rather than lots of different agencies working with each aspect of the families' troubles.
The aims were to cut anti-social behaviour, ensure truanting children were back in school and getting parents back into jobs, Mr Pickles said.
Updating MPs on the work of the programme, he said: "Today, with great pride, I can announced to the House that 90% of the families we've promised to help have achieved these outcomes.
"More than 105,000 have had their lives turned around and there is still three months of the programme left to run."
He said the scheme had made a "real difference" to people's lives, and worked for taxpayers as well as the families involved.
"It's tough love and practical help from people who take a no-nonsense, persistent approach, for people who won't go away, give up, who won't be put off by missed answers or unanswered doors," he told MPs.
'More caring'
Mr Pickles praised front-line workers for their "tireless" efforts and congratulated the families who "grasped the opportunity to end a dysfunctional and negative way of life and offer their children a better future".
He said the programme showed what could be achieved with co-operation between central and local government, and their partner public services.
Responding to the statement, Mr Benn said: "We support... this important work and, as you have generously acknowledged, the last Labour government started the family intervention project and a future Labour government would want to see this work continue and go from strength to strength."
He noted that Labour and some local authorities had pushed for the scheme's remit to be broadened, and welcomed the fact that the government made the necessary changes.
But Mr Benn raised concerns about the impact of cuts to local authority budget cuts in the most deprived communities and housing benefit changes.
Mr Pickles told him that before the troubled families programme was set up "we were throwing money at this problem and it was achieving precisely nothing".
He said of the scheme: "It so happens it is cheaper but it's actually better. It's more caring, we're not throwing people away. We're not condemning them to a life on benefits."


(Close): Housebuilder Galliford Try saw its shares plunge 10.7% after rising costs on two Scottish infrastructure projects took their toll.

The FTSE 250-listed firm has taken a one-off charge of nearly £100m on the cost of the Queensferry Crossing bridge and the Aberdeen West Peripheral Route.
On the FTSE 100, Sainsbury's fell 5.7% on an 8.2% drop in full-year profits.
The 100-share index finished 0.21% lower at 7,234.53, while the FTSE 250 was down 0.62% at 19,683.39.
ITV fell 1.75% on news that its chief executive Adam Crozier is to step down after seven years at the helm.
Paddy Power was another major faller on the FTSE 100 - dropping 4.3% - after saying it was cautious on European revenue growth due to a "pretty extreme" level of competition.
Software firm Sage was among the winners on the index, adding 3.4% on the strength of its first-half results.
The company said it was very confident of exceeding its full-year guidance of 6% revenue growth.
On the currency markets, the pound was down 0.23% against the dollar at $1.2909 and flat against the euro at 1.1826 euros.


Police have named the six-year-old girl who died following a collision involving a tractor in north Wales.

Teal Amelia David, from Oxfordshire, was fatally injured on an unclassified road in Aberdaron, at the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula, at about 08:40 BST.
Officers said the tractor involved was red, but they have not released any further details.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact North Wales Police on 101.


A prisoner in the Republic of Ireland who escaped while being escorted by prison service staff from a hospital appointment has been recaptured.

Lee McDonnell, 23, escaped on 17 December and is now back in Portlaoise Prison.
He was seen at Rowlagh Avenue in Ronanstown, west Dublin, shortly before 17:00 local time on Saturday.
Police recaptured him after a chase.
McDonnell,  who is originally from Lough Conn Road, Ballyfermot, has more than 70 previous convictions.


Two teenagers and a woman who were killed in a crash between a car and a lorry in Bedfordshire have been named.

Lewis Cook and Marie-Ann Wykes, both 16 and from Marston, were involved in the collision on the old A421 Bedford Road, near Brogborough, just after midnight.
Genevieve Reason, 32, from Woburn Sands, who was also in the car, was pronounced dead at the scene along with the teenagers.
Two other men were taken to hospital and have been discharged.
The road remains closed between Brogborough and Marston Moretaine and is unlikely to reopen for a few hours, Bedfordshire Police said.
The force appealed for anyone who saw the collision to get in touch.


It took years to build, but only seconds to destroy!

14 May 2012 Last updated at 08:54 BST
These buildings in Denmark were too old and needed to be replaced so this was the quickest way to get rid of them!
It took a massive 58 kilos of explosives to do it!
Watch our video clip.


A tin box containing medals from the two world wars and the rescue of survivors of the Titanic have stunned an expert on the BBC Antiques Roadshow.

John Henderson, from near Invergordon, brought his grandfather John Cargill's awards to the programme's visit to Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire.
Medals expert Mark Smith described the collection as "one of the most amazing group of medals" he had ever seen.
Mr Cargill was on the Carpathia, which rescued Titanic's survivors in 1912.
He went on to serve in World War One and World War Two and was awarded for bravery and gallantry for his actions in both conflicts.
Asked how his grandfather came to be on the Carpathia, Mr Henderson said: "He was a fisherman and when things were tough he would take himself off to earn some money."
Later, at an event reuniting Titanic's survivors with their rescuers, a woman who was a child when saved by the Carpathia's crew approached Mr Cargill to thank him.
Mr Cargill's military career saw him serve in the Black Watch and the Royal Navy.
Mr Henderson, himself a fisherman, said: "I remember him very well. He was a character.
"He had a small fishing boat and I would go to sea with him before school. He would say to me 'you need to get to school' and I would say 'don't bother, I'm happy where I am'."
Mr Cargill's medals are kept in a 1914 Christmas tin.
Medals expert Mr Smith, who admitted to shaking as he held the first Carpathia medal he had been able to handle, told Mr Henderson: "You have made my year.
"You have one of the most amazing group of medals I have ever seen."
Mr Smith valued the collection at Â£10,000. Mr Henderson said the medals would remain in his family.
The Carpathia was sailing from New York to Europe when it received a distress call from the Titanic on 15 April 1912.
It immediately changed direction, and travelled almost 60 miles (96km) to the ship's location.
When the ship arrived, the Titanic had already sunk.
The crew spent four hours rescuing survivors from lifeboats before heading back to New York.
The medals were awarded by the Titanic Survivors' Committee, chaired by Mrs J.J. 'Molly' Brown.
Junior officers received silver medals, while members of the crew were given bronze versions.
The episode of the Antiques Roadshow featuring Mr Cargill's medals will be shown from 20:00 on Sunday.


West Ham endured a tricky start to their season as they lost to NK Domzale in the first leg of their Europa League third round qualifier in Slovenia.

Mark Noble's penalty cancelled out Matic Crnic's spot-kick for the hosts, but the Premier League side faded.
Crnic curled home a second, and Adrian had to save well from Amedej Vetrih to prevent a bigger margin of defeat.
Next week's second leg will be the first competitive game played at the Olympic Stadium, West Ham's new home.
The match looks set to be a sell-out, played in front of more than 50,000 fans.
Noble's penalty has given West Ham an away goal that means a 1-0 win in the home leg will take them through.
But, in front of barely 3,000 in Ljubljana - the game was moved from the home of Domzale, they looked well short of match sharpness.
Crnic and Noble exchanged early penalties - with Domzale's awarded for a Havard Nordtveit handball and West Ham's for a foul on Winston Reid.
The Hammers were without last season's standout player Dimitri Payet, and while new signing Sofiane Feghouli enjoyed an impressive start, he barely had a touch in the second half.
Michail Antonio was at fault for Crnic's second goal and looked fragile all night, while former Leeds full-back Sam Byram looked makeshift on the left.
First-choice Aaron Cresswell is set to be out for four months with a knee injury and Bilic may need to enter the transfer market before the start of the season.
West Ham assistant manager Nikola Jurcevic:
"Our performance was not so good, and maybe I can say it was average in the first half and it was 1-1. We were not satisfied with this result and in the second half we played badly.
"I am sure we will be better next week. It will be very difficult but I'm optimistic and I hope it will be a different game in the Olympic Stadium.
"We must be better. We must win this game in our stadium because we also have big ambitions in Europe, but it will be very tough because Domzale showed they are a good team."


Celtic have won a sixth consecutive Scottish Premiership title with eight games to spare after thrashing Hearts 5-0 at Tynecastle on Sunday.

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Brendan Rodgers' side needed three points against fifth-placed Hearts to be confirmed as champions after Aberdeen hammered Dundee on Friday.
And they did so with a hat-trick from Scott Sinclair and goals from Stuart Armstrong and Patrick Roberts.
Unbeaten Celtic have dropped just four points so far during their campaign.
"My job when I came in was to win it in the best way we possibly could," said Rodgers.
"We have had many outstanding performances, but we have only just begun because there's still an awful lot of development in this team. That's the real exciting part."
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Celtic are still on course to win the domestic treble, having beaten Aberdeen in November to win the League Cup, while they face rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-finals later this month.
The last time the club won all three major Scottish domestic trophies in one season was 2000-01 and the feat has only been achieved once since - when Rangers claimed a treble in 2002-03.
"The run we're on is incredible," said Rodgers in an interview with Football Focus prior to Sunday's title-clinching victory.
"In terms of the treble, we never really mention it. Obviously the supporters can dream, which is great, but we have to just think about performing and playing well."
Celtic could also became the first team to go a full 38-game Scottish Premiership campaign unbeaten.
The last time a Scottish side went a full season unbeaten was Rangers in 1898-99, while Celtic did the same the year before - but the season only lasted 18 games.
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Former Liverpool boss Rodgers was appointed in May 2016 to replace Ronny Deila, who quit at the end of last season after two mixed years in charge.
Deila led Celtic to back-to-back titles but failed to deliver success in Europe, losing to Maribor and Malmo in the last round of Champions League qualifying and also finishing last in their Europa League group in 2015-16.
Rodgers' first major task was to qualify for the Champions League group stages, only for Celtic to suffer arguably the worst defeat in their history against Gibraltarian part-time side Lincoln Red Imps in the second qualifying round first leg.
After winning the second leg to progress, they needed a stoppage-time penalty from Moussa Dembele to edge past Kazakh side Astana in the third qualifying round before hanging on away to Hapoel Beer Sheva of Israel to reach the group stages.
Once there, they suffered their heaviest European defeat in a 7-0 thrashing by Barcelona but recovered to secure two draws against Premier League side Manchester City and a draw at German side Borussia Monchengladbach.
"We need a couple of players in order to compete at Champions League level - we had some really good performances but there is certain dynamic, power and technique we need," Rodgers told Sky Sports after Sunday's title win.
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A summer clearout led to forwards Carlton Cole, Anthony Stokes, Colin Kazim-Richards and Stefan Scepovic all departing Celtic Park.
Yet the club were not left short of attacking talent after the signings of Dembele from Fulham and Scott Sinclair from Aston Villa.
Dembele, 20, has scored 32 goals this season and is now one of Europe's most sought-after talents, while 28-year-old winger Sinclair has struck 21 times in all competitions.
Rodgers has also improved the fortunes of players he inherited, most notably 25-year-old central midfielder Stuart Armstrong, who has impressed since becoming a regular starter after October, making his Scotland debut in March.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton: "People can knock the Scottish league as much as they like, but at the start of the season, Rangers thought they could push Celtic.
"Brendan has done nothing wrong - unbeaten in the league, relative success in Europe given that the last manager was really poor and they had no right to get in the Champions League. I didn't think they'd get in the Europa League.
"He has worked wonders this season and should get credit for that.
"The pressure for Rodgers was going to come in the early part of the season, because the Celtic fans expected this season and expectation was high.
"He's totally transformed the playing personnel, made good signings and the team is a million times better."
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner: "Celtic will buy one or two more players and they can attract quality since they are in the Champions League.
"They did it in style. Their finishing was magnificent against Hearts - once they settled into this game, there was no chance of Hearts winning it.
"The way Celtic have gone about their business from day one has been exceptional. It's been a joy to watch them this season."
Rodgers has been suggested as a possible replacement for Arsene Wenger should the Arsenal boss decide to leave at the end of the season.
The Northern Irishman himself has said he wants to "give more years" to Celtic and is a supporter of what he calls "one of the most iconic clubs in the world".
But could Rodgers make a return to the Premier League?
Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann: "Brendan Rodgers has got more chance and justification to get a big job now then he did at the time when he went to Liverpool.
"To go a whole season unbeaten, which they can still do, to get in the Champions League against all the odds and give Manchester City a game - of course they had a heavy defeat to Barcelona but it's happened to others.
"If you look at that Arsenal job, Rodgers could be one of the first names on the list."
Sunday Times football correspondent Jonathan Northcroft: "Rodgers is still in the rebuilding phase of his career.
"I'm a fan of his in general, but this will be his first league title and he only just won his first trophy in November, so he's quite a long way away from being the man to succeed Arsene Wenger.
"He got quite sensitive towards the end of his time with Liverpool, towards how things were covered - he was banning the press.
"If he wants another big job, he's going to have to handle that properly."


Moderate drinking does not appear to affect a woman's fertility, according to new research.

A study looked at the alcohol drinking habits of more than 6,100 Danish women aged between 21 and 45 years old, between June 2007 and January.
It found consuming less than 14 "servings" a week seemed to have no discernible effect on fertility, compared with women not drinking.
But Prof Simon Fishel said the study did not take into account miscarriages.
One in six couples in the UK struggles to conceive, making fertility concerns one of the most common reasons women visit their GP.
In the UK the current guidance on alcohol, as endorsed by the Department of Health, says that "if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum".
Fertility treatment 'works for most'
The authors of the Danish study, published in the British Medical Journal, agree with this advice and recommend couples to abstain from alcohol during their fertile window until a pregnancy is ruled out, because the foetus may be particularly vulnerable to alcohol during the first few weeks following conception.
The study assessed overall alcohol consumption as well as intake of specific types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits.
Alcohol consumption was self reported and one serving of beer was measured as a 330ml bottle, while red or white wine was a 120ml glass, dessert wine was a 50ml serving and spirits were categorised as 20ml.
Each female participant completed a bi-monthly questionnaire for 12 months, or until conception occurred, on alcohol use, pregnancy status, menstrual cycles, frequency of intercourse, and smoking.
Women who drank more than 14 servings a week had an 18% lower chance of getting pregnant, the study suggested.
This is an observational study, and so the research cannot arise at any firm conclusions.
However, in a linked editorial, Annie Britton from University College London, said that the results "offer some reassurances" to couples trying to get pregnant.
She suggests that "total abstinence may not be necessary to maximise conception rates" because "if alcohol is consumed moderately, it seems that this may not affect fertility".
"However, it would be wise to avoid binge drinking, both for the potential disruption to menstrual cycles and also for the potential harm to a baby during early pregnancy. If a couple are experiencing difficulty in conceiving, it makes sense for both partners to cut down on their alcohol intake," she said.
Women:
Men:
Source: HFEA
But Prof Simon Fishel, who is the managing director Care Fertility, said that while the sample size of the study was large and it showed "excellent statistical methods" we must not confuse a healthy pregnancy with the ability to conceive.
"The study implies that with up to 14 'servings' per week the chance of conceiving was no different from those who did not consume alcohol.
"However, as the study ended at a home pregnancy test, no measure of miscarriage or even the presence of a foetal heart was reported, giving no insight into the health of the conception."
He also said that the study said nothing about those who may be struggling to conceive, for whom alcohol intake may "exacerbate a sub-fertile condition".
However, Prof Darren Griffin at the University of Kent said the overwhelming message of the study was "steady as she goes".
He said: "If you do drink while trying to have children, do it in moderation and don't binge drink. One might argue that this should be a maxim for life in general.
"The Danish study is robust and well conducted, it is also refreshingly aware of its own limitations, such as that alcohol intake is self-reported - and thus may be under-reported - and the effect of alcohol consumption on the male partner is not measured.
"One interesting finding is that, although some previous studies have reported a positive effect of moderate drinking on fertility, this current study found no such association."


The Russian space agency Roscosmos has confirmed the loss of an unmanned cargo ship which was heading for the International Space Station.

The Progress MS-04, which launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, was carrying 2.4 tonnes of fuel, food and equipment.
Space agency officials said the spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere, at an altitude of 190km.
It occurred over a mountainous and sparsely inhabited region of Siberia.
A Roscosmos statement said "most of the fragments burned in the dense layers of the atmosphere" over the Republic of Tyva, near the Mongolian border.
Both the Russian and Americans have lost cargo ships in recent years.
Last month, Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky and US astronaut Peggy Whitson launched on a Soyuz rocket for a six-month mission to the ISS.


The pollsters certainly didn't predict this outcome.

It was a good night for the Conservatives across the South East - as it was across the country (apart from in Scotland).
In Kent, the Conservatives' strategy to decapitate the UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, worked and he failed to win South Thanet, losing out to the Tory's Craig Mackinlay.
The party also claimed another UKIP scalp in Rochester and Strood. Where candidate Kelly Tolhurst, who lost to Mark Reckless in last November's by-election, won convincingly.
The Tories also did well in some of the Sussex marginals. Labour threw a huge effort at winning Hastings and Rye but Amber Rudd held on and more than doubled her majority.
In nearby Brighton Kemptown, Simon Kirby was defending one of the slimmest majority's in the South East but he also retained his seat.
The Tories made most of their gains across the country at the expense of the Liberal Democrats. And in the South East it was no different.
The former Home Office minister and Lib Dem MP Norman Baker lost his seat in Lewes to the Conservative, Maria Caulfield.
And his fellow Lib Dem, Stephen Lloyd, also lost his Eastbourne seat to the Tories.
In fact it was a catastrophic night for the Lib Dems.
They were very confident of holding on to their two Sussex seats and also thought they would make a gain in Maidstone.
So much so that Nick Clegg spent quite a bit of time canvassing here. In the end, as elsewhere, they've been wiped off the map.
For Labour, the glimmer of good news in the South East was that their candidate, Peter Kyle, successfully took Hove. But otherwise it was a truly dreadful night for them.
They disappeared off the map in the South East at the last election and five years on there is no sign of a resurgence.
Ed Miliband appeared to have given up on Kent but Labour did pour resources into the marginals in Sussex.
In fact, the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, was one of the big-hitters who made several campaign trips to Brighton and to Hastings.
Having been one of the biggest casualties of the night - having lost his own seat in Morley and Outwood by just over 400 votes - he may now regret trying to woo voters in Sussex.
It was a good night for Caroline Lucas, who increased her majority in Brighton Pavilion, but she remains her party's only MP.
There is already talk of her taking over again from Natalie Bennett as leader - she said it would be up to the party to decide. Watch this space.
And as I touched on earlier, it wasn't a good night for UKIP. The party's leader.
Nigel Farage, failed at his seventh attempt to become an MP. He finished second to the Tories, with Labour in third place. However, shortly after the result he said he "had never felt happier" and the  "weight had been lifted" from his shoulders.
In almost record time, following his defeat, he announced he would resign as leader. He said he would take the summer off. But, crucially, he didn't rule out standing again - the message seemed to be he wants a rest but he may be back.
It was also not a good night for UKIP in terms of seats - they come out of this election with fewer than they went in with and now have only one - Clacton, in Essex. But in terms of their share of the vote the party has done pretty well, with its share of the overall vote increasing.
UKIP supporters will feel very sore that despite winning almost 4m votes, and being the third party in terms of share, they retained only one MP, compared with the SNP, which has 56 MPs for a very much smaller share of the vote - about 1.4m.
So, I think today's result will increase calls for electoral reform and also calls for UKIP to be represented in the House of Lords.
Nigel Farage may not be an MP but with UKIP now the third party in terms of share, I wouldn't bet against him becoming Lord Farage in future.
The results are in, the counting done and we now know what the new political landscape looks like in the South East.


An Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in a high-profile case that split opinion across the country has been jailed for 18 months.

Elor Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter for shooting dead 21-year-old Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, last March.
Azaria had told a colleague that Sharif, who had stabbed another soldier, "deserved to die".
Military chiefs condemned his actions, but others praised them.
The case fuelled debate in Israel over when and how soldiers are entitled to use lethal force against attackers.
The shooting occurred amid a wave of attacks by Palestinians that had killed 29 Israelis over the preceding five months.
The offence carries a sentence of up to 20 years, though prosecutors had called for Azaria to be jailed for between three and five years.
Outside the court, chanting and singing from protesters didn't falter as the verdict was read out. The small but noisy crowd had come to demand Elor Azaria's immediate release and condemn his trial, not to argue over the length of his sentence.
Nationalist politicians criticised the sentence. Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the Jewish Home party in the governing coalition, called for an immediate pardon. "Elor must not go to jail," he said, "or we will all pay the price."
Yusri al-Sharif, the father of the attacker killed by Azaria, said the sentence was a "joke" and the Israeli authorities were "laughing in our face". He had called for a life sentence.
This is not the end of the case. Azaria's defence team have said they will appeal against the verdict of manslaughter and there is the possibility of getting the sentence reduced.
Azaria, who was also ordered demoted from his rank of sergeant, sat smiling broadly, embraced by his mother, as the judgment was read out, says our correspondent.
The judge, Maya Heller, said his crime was mitigated by the fact that it was his first conviction, that it had occurred in an active military scene and that there had been no clear orders as to how he was supposed to act.
Judge Heller noted that Azaria had not displayed any remorse for what he had done.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Authority criticised the sentence as lenient, calling it a "green light to the occupation army to continue its crimes", AFP news agency reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said he would support any decision to pardon the soldier.
The killing received widespread coverage after footage of the incident, filmed on a mobile phone, was shown on Israeli news programmes.
It showed Azaria cocking his gun and firing at the head of Sharif, who was lying apparently incapacitated on the ground after being shot and wounded following the stabbing attack.
The court which convicted Azaria dismissed his claim that he had acted out of fear that Sharif might have been wearing an explosive vest.
Following the incident military chiefs and the prime minister came under fire from right-wing sections of society - including members of Mr Netanyahu's cabinet - for criticising Azaria's actions.
Mr Netanyahu later telephoned Azaria's father to offer reassurance.


Plans to allow paragliding, games, camping and hang gliding on open access land in Wales have been criticised by a farming union.

The National Farmers' Union said Welsh Government proposals to extend countryside rights of way access would "have major repercussions for farmers".
It said allowing more activities would impact the day-to-day running of farms.
The Welsh Government said the plans were meant to help rural businesses thrive.
NFU Cymru claim the proposals are "radical" and could affect the 460,000 hectares (1,1m acres) of farmland in Wales.
Open access land includes areas of open country, registered common land and private land where people are able to walk, run and explore without having to stay on paths.
Geraint Rowlands, Meirionnydd NFU Cymru county chairman, said changing the access could particularly affect farmers who have "diversified" into camping.
"Meirionnydd [in Gwynedd] is an area that relies heavily on income from tourism and many farmers in particular have diversified into camping businesses, for supplementary income," he said.
"If the proposals to allow camping on any access land came into force, members of the public could camp anywhere on those 460,000 hectaresâ€¦for free."
NFU Cymru said the proposals were "buried" within the Taking Forward Wales' Sustainable Management of Natural Resources consultation.
"Along with the obvious monetary impact and the increased liability on farmers, there is also concern that these additional activities could disrupt wildlife habitats, scare animals, create ruts on land and injuries could occur whilst carrying out these activities in remote areas," added Mr Rowlands.
"Whilst we wish to see the public and their pets enjoy their time in this beautiful area of Wales, we do have concerns that allowing access to camping, organised games, hang gliding and paragliding could impact on the running of farming businesses."
A Welsh Government spokesman said the purpose of the consultation was to "gain a better understanding of views on a more modern, streamlined and effective regulatory framework" following the UK's exit from the European Union.
"By bringing proposals together into one consultation we are delivering exactly what our stakeholders asked for - a more joined-up approach," he added.
"A consultation workshop was held at the Royal Welsh Show in July with further events planned across Wales during September. We have also extended the closing date until the end of September to provide stakeholders more time to respond.
"Access proposals relating to where people can go and what they can do are intended to help individuals and businesses in rural areas to thrive following our exit from the EU."


Glasgow have signed Namibia lock Tjiuee Uanivi from South African Super Rugby franchise the Sharks, subject to a visa and medical.

The 25-year-old, who recently had a short loan spell at the Southern Kings, has signed an initial one-year deal until May 2017.
The 6ft 7in Uanivi has won 16 caps for his country, and started all four of their matches at last year's World Cup.
"I'm very pleased to have this chance to play with Glasgow," he said.
"I can't wait to get started. I'd like to thank the Sharks, and Gary Gold in particular, for allowing me the chance to pursue this exciting opportunity and I wish them well in Super Rugby."
Uanivi, who can also play across the back row, previously played 10 times for Brive in the Top 14 and European Rugby Challenge Cup prior to joining the Sharks in January after impressing at the World Cup.
Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend said: "We believe he'll fit in well in our environment and challenge for a starting place in our forward pack.
"He has excellent athleticism and his strengths suit the high-tempo rugby we aspire to play, but he will have to work hard every day to win a starting place up against the other second-rows at the club."
Warriors have lost Fiji's Leone Nakarawa to Racing Metro but still have Scotland locks Jonny Gray and Tim Swinson, plus Scotland under-20s captain Scott Cummings in their second-row ranks.
Uanivi joins Italy wing Leonardo Sarto, former All Blacks hooker Corey Flynn,Fiji scrum-half Nemia Kenatale and props Djustice Sears-Duru and Jarrod Firth in the Scotstoun squad for next season.


An experimental new type of male contraceptive that blocks sperm flow with a gel has been successful in monkey trials.

Vasalgel acts as a physical barrier once injected into the tubes that sperm would swim down to the penis.
The company behind it says a two-year trial, published in Basic and Clinical Andrology, shows the gel works and is safe - at least in primates.
It hopes to have enough evidence to begin tests in men within a few years.
If those get funding and go well - two big "ifs" - it will seek regulatory approval to make the gel more widely available to men.
It would be the first new type of male contraceptive to hit the market in many decades.
At the moment, men have two main options of contraceptive - wear a condom to catch the sperm, or have a sterilising operation (vasectomy) to cut or seal the two tubes that carry sperm to the penis from where they are made in the testicles.
Vasalgel has the same end effect as vasectomy, but researchers hope it should be easier to reverse if a man later decides he wants to have children.
In theory, another injection should dissolve the gel plug.
That worked in early tests in rabbits, but the researchers have yet to prove the same in monkeys and man.
The idea behind Vasalgel is not new.
Another experimental male birth control gel - RISUG (reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance) - that works in a similar way to Vasalgel is being tested in men in India.
Unlike RISUG, Vasalgel is not designed to impair the swimming sperm.
It merely blocks their path while still letting other fluid through, according to the manufacturer.
Both gels are given as an injection, under anaesthetic, and are meant to offer long-acting contraception.
The University of California researchers tested the gel on 16 adult male monkeys, 10 of whom were already fathers.
The monkeys were monitored for a week after getting the injection and were then released back into their an enclosure to rejoin some fertile females.
Mating did occur, but none of the female monkeys became pregnant over the course of the study, which included two full breeding periods for some of the animals.
Few of the male monkeys had side-effects, although one did need an operation because the injection did not go to plan and damaged one of his tubes.
Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: "The study shows that, in adult male monkeys at least, the gel is an effective form of contraception.
"But in order for it to have a chance of replacing the traditional surgical method of vasectomy, the authors need to show that the procedure is reversible."
He said there had been very little commercial interest from pharmaceutical companies in this kind of a approach.
The non-profit company researching Vasalgel, the Parsemus Foundation, has used grants and fundraising to get this far.
Prof Pacey said: "The idea of a social venture company to develop the idea is intriguing.
"I would imagine there is a worldwide market for a new male contraceptive, but trials in humans and more long-term safety data are required before we will know if it is a success."
This type of contraceptive wouldn't protect against sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.
But in terms of willingness, experts believe men would be up for trying new contraceptives, such as a gel.
Dr Anatole Menon-Johanssonm from the sexual health charity Brook, said: "Some men do want to be part of the solution and do their part.
"If you can have more options available then maybe more men would go for it."
He said the idea of a "reversible vasectomy" was desirable, whereas asking some men to take hormones to control their fertility might be "a big ask".
Follow Michelle on Twitter.


Wales boss Warren Gatland will use the injuries to Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny to galvanise his side, says England defence coach Andy Farrell.

The pair will miss the World Cup after being stretchered off against Italy.
Farrell, who worked with Gatland on the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour, says Wales should not be taken lightly.
"Warren will probably use a little bit of a backs-against-the-wall mentality which will strengthen them and galvanise them even more," he said.
"They are not down. They have a couple of guys who have come in who have got their opportunity and they are going to try and take that with both hands.
"Some people would say that it weakens them a little bit, but we don't see that. The strength of a team - the galvanisation of a team coming together - is more important than any individuals."
England and Wales meet at Twickenham on 26 September in what will be the second game of the tournament for both sides.
Webb is replaced in the Wales squad by Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips while Ospreys wing Eli Walker takes full-back Halfpenny's spot.
Farrell says Halfpenny, the player of the series for the Lions in 2013, is a sad loss for the tournament, after he suffered cruciate ligament damage on Saturday.
"He's an unbelievable professional," he added. "His attention to detail is absolutely second to none.
"He'll be a big loss to any side, he's a great player. And he will be sadly missed by the competition because we want to see the best out there."
However, Farrell feels fly-half Dan Biggar will be more than capable of kicking the goals in Halfpenny's absence.
He said: "Halfpenny's as good a kicker as there is in world rugby, there's no doubt about that. He's a phenomenal goal-kicker.
"But Dan Biggar is a very good goal-kicker. He's a long-range goal-kicker and he's very confident in taking the shots from anywhere. So they've got a pretty good replacement there."
And Farrell also believes Phillips will be a handful.
"He's not a bad replacement. An angry Mike Phillips - I suppose he would have been wanted to have been selected in the first place - he will probably have a point to prove.
"When he is in a determined mood he will probably be at his best."
England lock Geoff Parling described the news of Halfpenny and Webb's injuries as "horrendous".
He said: "You never want to see any rugby player get injured, but especially not in the last match before the World Cup."
Parling played with Halfpenny on the 2013 Lions tour and said he was "gutted" for the full-back.
"He's a really good bloke and I wish him a speedy recovery," he said. "He'll definitely be back, he's a quality guy."
Meanwhile, England fly-half George Ford has praised the impact of centre Sam Burgess, who came on as a replacement in Saturday's 21-13 win over Ireland, as "phenomenal".
"He's a winner," Ford said. "He's constantly talking. Breaks in play, he'll go up to the lads and energise them.
"His attributes in terms of carrying and tackling are there to see, but it's the things that people maybe don't see - his attitude and the drive that he gives to the team are pretty phenomenal."


Cardiff University has launched a racial equality review amid reports face paint was used to impersonate a staff member in a student-led play.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Colin Riordan said he was keen for the whole university to "learn lessons from the review".
It will focus on the School of Medicine and look at concerns raised about the play, Anaphylaxis, the university said.
The independent panel will begin work over the summer and report back in the autumn.
The university said it will also look at other related student societies and practices at its medical school to "assess their impact on minority ethnic students and staff".
Prof Riordan said: "Cardiff University needs to be a place where all our students and staff can thrive irrespective of their background and the review is part of our pro-active approach to ensuring this.
"Cardiff University takes issues relating to equality and diversity very seriously and is committed to supporting, developing and promoting equality and diversity in all of our activities."
Prof Dinesh Bhugra, professor of mental health and diversity from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, will lead the review with two independent panel members, yet to be appointed.


Almost half the musicians in the Vienna Philharmonic during World War II were members of the Nazi party, new research has revealed.

A panel of historians also revealed that 13 musicians were driven out of the orchestra for being Jewish or married to Jews.
The report follows claims of a cover-up by the world famous orchestra.
Austria is due to mark the 75th anniversary of its annexation by Nazi Germany on Tuesday.
The Anschluss (union) was complete when German forces marched into the country unopposed on 12 March 1938.
For decades the Philharmonic allowed only selective access to its archives.
But political pressure led the orchestra to commission three historians, led by Oliver Rathkolb, to delve deeper into the years 1938-45.
Mr Rathkolb also attempted to solve a mystery surrounding a ring of honour presented to Baldur von Schirach, a Nazi governor of Vienna, who oversaw the deportation of tens of thousands of Jews.
The ring, originally presented in 1942, was lost by Von Schirach but a replacement was given to him, apparently in late 1966, after his release from Spandau prison for crimes against humanity.
For years, historians have tried to uncover the identity of the man who gave Von Schirach the replacement ring.
According to historian Wilhelm Bettelheim, who was interviewed in a documentary film on Sunday, the man in question was Helmut Wobisch, a trumpeter who was a member of the Nazi party and later joined Hitler's notorious Waffen SS.
Wobisch was sacked in 1945 but resumed his career six years later.
Mr Rathkolb describes the interview as "very plausible".
The BBC's Kerry Skyring in Vienna says that - like Austria itself - the Vienna Philharmonic has been slow to get to grips with its past during World War II.
But for the first time historians have been given access to records detailing the orchestra's role as a Nazi propaganda tool and the persecution of its Jewish members, our correspondent adds.
Details revealed on Sunday showed that 60 of the orchestra's 123 musicians were members of the Nazi party - a much higher percentage than in the broader Austrian population.
Of the 13 musicians driven out of the orchestra for being Jewish or married to Jews, five died in concentration camps, others were deported, but none returned, the report says.
There are details too on how the orchestra's famous New Year's Day Concert had its origins as a propaganda instrument for the Nazis.
The historians' full report will be published on the orchestra's website on Tuesday - the 75th anniversary of the Anschluss.
The revelation that a replacement ring was given to Von Schirach after his release from prison came to light only recently. Von Schirach's son Richard wrote about it in a book in 2004 but refused to name the man who gave it to his father.
Orchestra Chairman Clemens Hellberg had initially been accused of failing to include details of the Philharmonic's Nazi links in his 1992 book Democracy of Kings, which is widely regarded as the orchestra's official history.
He has since said he did not have access to all the relevant documents when he wrote the book.
On Sunday Mr Hellberg said the historians' report was "long overdue". But, he added, "we know that we are together on the same path".


Tens of thousands of protesters in South Korea have held a mass rally against a raft of government policies that they say weaken democracy.

The protest was big, rowdy and attended by a wide cross section of people but there was no repeat of violence which marred a similar rally last month.
About 18,000 police were deployed in the capital, Seoul.
Protesters oppose plans including changes to labour laws and greater controls over history textbooks.
Left-wing critics say this will lead to a whitewashing of past South Korean dictatorships.
About 14,000 people are estimated by police to have attended the rally, far fewer than the 60,000 that attended the 14 November demonstration.
Read more: Why South Korea is rewriting its history books
Saturday's protest went ahead after a court turned down the government's move for an injunction made in the aftermath of violence at the previous demonstration.
The demonstrators were unhappy over moves by President Park Geun-hye's conservative government to dismiss workers based on performance and to place a ceiling on the salaries of senior employees to encourage employers to recruit younger people and reduce youth unemployment.
An arrest warrant has been issued against the head of the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who has taken sanctuary in a Buddhist temple in Seoul, over the 14 November rally.
On Saturday Han Sang-gyun repeated a call for a general strike against "labour conditions that only fattens capitalists".
President Park is the country's first female president and was elected two years ago.


The UN has ended its campaign with comic book heroine Wonder Woman, a spokesman says, less than two months after her appointment sparked outrage.

The superhero had been declared an honorary ambassador to promote messages about women's empowerment and gender-based violence.
The character's "sexualised" appearance was one element critics seized on to deem the choice inappropriate.
A petition against the selection gathered nearly 45,000 signatures.
The UN did not explain why the project with Wonder Woman, announced in October, would end on Friday.
But spokesman Jeffrey Brez said campaigns using fictional characters often lasted no longer than a few months, Reuters news agency reported.
DC Entertainment, which publishes DC Comics, said it was pleased with the exposure Wonder Woman had brought to the cause.
Warner Bros and DC Entertainment are supporting a year-long campaign by the UN and its children's agency, Unicef, for gender equality and women's empowerment.
In the petition against the character's appointment, opponents said the image she projected was "not culturally encompassing or sensitive".
"It is alarming that the United Nations would consider using a character with an overtly sexualised image at a time when the headline news in United States and the world is the objectification of women and girls," it said.
Wonder Woman - an Amazonian from the all-female paradise of Themyscira - masquerades as Diana Prince, whose occupations include an army nurse, until her services are called on by a society in peril.
She first came to the public's attention in October 1941, and was most famously played by actress Lynda Carter in the hit US TV series that ran from 1975-79.
The announcement came as the UN itself was under criticism for having a lack of gender parity in senior roles.
Despite campaigns there has never been a female secretary general and one analysis found that in 2015 nine of 10 senior leadership jobs went to men.


A murder investigation has begun after a man was found stabbed in a car.

Ambulance services were called to Alder Drive in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull, at about 01:00 BST where the 65-year-old was found with serious stab wounds.  He died in hospital shortly afterwards.
A 35-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.
The area has been cordoned off and the car is being forensically examined.
See more stories from Birmingham and the Black Country here
Det Ch Insp Edward Foster said: "The victim was able to raise the alarm but sadly died a short while later.
"We are now appealing for anyone who was in the area in the early hours of this morning to contact us so that we can establish what has led to this incident."


Nottingham Forest have defender Danny Fox available after suspension.

Centre-back Jack Hobbs has returned to training, with manager Mark Warburton needing to decide if he persists with a three-man defensive line-up.
Blackburn are likely to remain without defenders Charlie Mulgrew and Darragh Lenihan (both ankle), who are not fit.
As Rovers bid to end a run of three straight losses and seven games without a win, striker Danny Graham (hip) will be assessed after picking up a knock.
BBC Radio Lancashire's Andy Bayes
"By Tuesday morning, Blackburn Rovers' destiny will be clearer than ever. An inept display last time out against Barnsley has left them playing catch-up. Four points to make up from five games remaining games is a tall order.
"Tony Mowbray's task hasn't been made easier by injuries, with the likes of Mulgrew, Lenihan, Greer, Evans and Graham all missing matches.
"Ever-present goalkeeper Jason Steele has also picked up an injury, that could open the door for David Raya to play his first Championship match in 20 months.
"Six changes were made for the last match. I expect plenty more for the visit to the City Ground."


Kelechi Iheanacho's injury-time deflection helped Manchester City return to the top of the Premier League as they beat managerless Swansea.

The hosts, who lost at Stoke a week ago, struggled against the Swans, who sacked ex-boss Garry Monk on Wednesday.
And after Wilfried Bony lost Ashley Williams to score against his former club, Bafetimbi Gomis' late equaliser looked like it would earn a point.
But there was still time for Yaya Toure to curl in off Iheanacho.
The hugely fortunate strike was a severe blow to a rejuvenated Swansea, who were led by caretaker boss Alan Curtis and created the better chances.
Yet after an almost perfect game plan, where Gomis came off the bench late on to end an 11-game goal drought in the league, Swansea slumped to a third consecutive defeat.
The result means the visitors have won one of their last 12 league games and after Bournemouth's win over Manchester United, slip to 16th in the table, a point above the relegation zone.
Relive Manchester City's dramatic win over Swansea
Follow all the reaction to the match
Listen - Man City leave it late to beat Swansea
Monk was sacked despite leading Swansea to their highest Premier League finish last season, and former Wales international Curtis said the team felt like they had let down their previous manager, intending to "go a small way to rectifying that" at Etihad Stadium.
After ensuring that Manchester City's Joe Hart was the busier goalkeeper, they succeeded.
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With Gomis dropped to the bench and Gylfi Sigurdsson acting as an auxiliary centre-forward forward, this was a performance which combined defensive discipline and the heart that has perhaps been missing in Swansea's recent poor run.
It will certainly give hope to the incoming boss, with AEK Athens manager Gus Poyet among those linked with the job.
The only disappointing aspect from a Swansea point of view was City's first goal, as their normally reliable captain Ashley Williams failed to keep track of Bony's movement from a corner, allowing the Ivorian to score his seventh of the season with an easy header.
Other than that, Lukasz Fabianski was rarely troubled in the Swansea goal with Wayne Routledge and Sigurdsson drawing decent saves from Hart.
The stage was set for a late intervention as Gomis timed his run perfectly to beat Hart at the near post after coming on seven minutes earlier.
However, Swansea could do little to stop the winner as Toure cut in from the right and watched as his left-footed effort went in off Iheanacho's back.
Manchester City will care little about Swansea's plight as they went above previous leaders Leicester, who face Chelsea on Monday, and Arsenal, who visit Aston Villa on Sunday.
Manuel Pellegrini's team now lead the Foxes on goal difference, with the Gunners two points behind.
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But after topping their Champions League group with a 4-2 win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday, City's Chilean boss will be concerned by the lack of verve shown by his side, who did not have much intensity and purpose for long periods.
Kevin de Bruyne, who played in the victory over the Bundesliga side, was dropped to the bench despite some leading performances this season, and it appeared that the hosts missed the Belgian's guile.
David Silva looked like he is still working his way back to full sharpness after an injury lay-off while Raheem Sterling was well shackled by Swansea right-back Angel Rangel.
In the end, Pellegrini will be content to have earned three points, but Manchester City will need to improve for their crucial trip to Arsenal on 21 December.
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini: "I think the three points were very important, more than the way we played. I knew it would be difficult because we had three or four players who couldn't recover from the last game.
"Swansea played very well and it's not the way we want to win. Now we have a week to recover - we have played too many games with 13 or 14 players."
Caretaker boss Alan Curtis: "We certainly deserved to get something out of the game, and when we equalised I thought we were would hang in there. We probably did create more chances than City, that's the difference between the teams at the top of the league and at the bottom.
"We have been struggling with our form, but that's the standard we have to set between now and the end of the season."
Manchester City travel to Arsenal a week on Monday, before hosting Sunderland on Boxing Day and have a trip to Leicester on 29 December. Swansea have two home games to come, against West Ham on 20 December and West Brom six days later.
Match ends, Manchester City 2, Swansea City 1.
Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Swansea City 1.
Attempt saved. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ashley Williams with a headed pass.
Attempt blocked. Angel Rangel (Swansea City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Modou Barrow.
Goal!  Manchester City 2, Swansea City 1. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Jesús Navas.
Goal!  Manchester City 1, Swansea City 1. Bafétimbi Gomis (Swansea City) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Federico Fernández with a through ball.
Attempt missed. Bafétimbi Gomis (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Jack Cork.
Bacary Sagna (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Neil Taylor (Swansea City).
Joe Hart (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Bafétimbi Gomis (Swansea City).
Substitution, Manchester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Wilfried Bony.
Substitution, Swansea City. Bafétimbi Gomis replaces André Ayew.
Attempt missed. Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross following a corner.
Corner,  Manchester City. Conceded by Ki Sung-yueng.
Attempt blocked. Wilfried Bony (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Yaya Touré.
Foul by Fabian Delph (Manchester City).
Jack Cork (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Fabian Delph (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jesús Navas.
Attempt saved. Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Gylfi Sigurdsson with a cross.
Corner,  Swansea City. Conceded by Bacary Sagna.
Attempt blocked. Jack Cork (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City).
Modou Barrow (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Swansea City. Modou Barrow replaces Wayne Routledge.
Substitution, Swansea City. Jefferson Montero replaces Leon Britton.
Offside, Swansea City. Wayne Routledge tries a through ball, but Jack Cork is caught offside.
Foul by Wilfried Bony (Manchester City).
Leon Britton (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross following a corner.
Corner,  Manchester City. Conceded by Wayne Routledge.
Attempt blocked. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Hand ball by Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City).
Corner,  Manchester City. Conceded by Ashley Williams.
Corner,  Manchester City. Conceded by Angel Rangel.
Offside, Manchester City. Gaël Clichy tries a through ball, but Wilfried Bony is caught offside.
Fernandinho (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Wayne Routledge (Swansea City).
Foul by Jesús Navas (Manchester City).


Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood says the party takes bullying "very seriously" but will follow due process after an AM was suspended as a councillor.

A tribunal ruled Neil McEvoy's behaviour to be bullying after an officer said she felt threatened by a comment he made after an eviction case.
Plaid officials will meet the South Wales Central AM to discuss the issue.
In a speech to the Plaid conference, Mr McEvoy urged the party not to throw its own members "under the bus".
Fellow AM Bethan Jenkins had questioned whether he should have been allowed to address the event in Newport, while two other AMs have told BBC Wales Mr McEvoy should be suspended from the party pending inquiries.
Plaid Cymru will decide whether to take any action against Mr McEvoy next week.
"We take bullying very, very seriously in Plaid Cymru, but we also take process very seriously," Ms Wood told BBC Wales.
"This is a matter now that has been referred to the party chair, there is a process being undertaken and I respect that process.
"And it's important that all of us respect that process now."
At a tribunal on Friday, the Adjudication Panel for Wales ruled Mr McEvoy broke Cardiff council's code of conduct but did not bring the council into disrepute following an incident outside the city's civil justice centre in July 2015.
A council officer said she had felt "threatened" by a comment Mr McEvoy made after he supported a council tenant at an eviction hearing.
Ms Jenkins questioned whether the scheduled speech by the South Wales Central AM to Plaid Cymru's spring conference in Newport on Saturday should go ahead in light of the judgement.
She said on Twitter: "Leadership shouldn't let someone speak day after this result. We cannot condemn this behaviour +ignore in own ranks", adding: "If nobody else will say it I will".
Mr McEvoy spoke at a lunchtime fringe meeting on equality and went ahead with a speech to the full conference on Saturday afternoon, saying: "I'm still here."
He said Plaid Cymru should "do what it takes to beat the Labour Party in Wales", questioning his party's decision to support Carwyn Jones's administration with the "compact" agreement.
In an apparent reference to calls for his suspension from the party, Mr McEvoy said Plaid had to decide if it was the sort of party that "throws its own members under the bus".
After the hearing on Friday, Mr McEvoy described the panel proceedings as a "farce" but Plaid chairman Alun Ffred Jones said the matter was "serious because it involves bullying".
Mr McEvoy told BBC Wales he would not respond to anonymous calls for his suspension from the party but insisted everybody should respect his freedom of speech.
"I would invite those people to come and speak to the resident who was evicted," he said.
Asked how he would react if Plaid suspended him, he said:  "I don't want to get into that."
Labour AM Rhianon Passmore called on Ms Wood to suspend Mr McEvoy, writing to express her "shock and serious concern" that he was allowed to speak at the event.
"By allowing Neil McEvoy not only to attend Plaid's conference but to address it, your party appears to condone his behaviour," she wrote.


The Iraqi army has urged people living in the centre of the Islamic State-held city of Ramadi to leave before an operation to retake it is launched.

A security source told the BBC leaflets had been dropped by planes, warning residents the army planned to storm the city within the next 24 hours.
The call, which was also broadcast on state television, told them to use an exit secured by the army to the south.
Ramadi was captured by IS in May in an embarrassing defeat for the Iraqi army.
Last month, the US military said Iraqi troops and pro-government militiamen had essentially encircled the city, located about 90km (55 miles) to the west of Baghdad, and that conditions were set for a final assault.
On Monday, a security source told the BBC that the leaflets dropped over Ramadi had urged civilians living in the city centre to leave because government forces were preparing to storm the city from the south, the west and the north.
They were advised to head to the south-eastern Humayra district, where an exit had been secured, the source said.
"This is the last warning by the security forces to the people inside Ramadi," the source added. "The security forces will storm the city, whether residents are inside it or not."
However, a spokesperson for Ramadi residents called on the government to postpone the offensive.
The spokesperson said thousands of families were being held by IS militants, who had set up checkpoints and threatened to kill anyone who attempted to leave.
The US military believes there are between 600 and 1,000 IS militants in Ramadi.
It says they have developed a strong defensive system in and around the city, including using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to create minefields.
Earlier this month, Iraqi Kurdish forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes recaptured the north-western town of Sinjar from IS in a major operation.


An inquiry has been ordered into how police responded to a pensioner's death in Edinburgh.

Officers forced entry into a flat in Adelphi Place, Portobello, on Sunday where they found the body of 88-year-old Douglas Iggulden.
His wife Elizabeth, 89, was found collapsed and remains in hospital.
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner will look at the initial response by Police Scotland to a report of concern about the couple's welfare.
BBC Scotland understands the investigation concerns the timing of the police response.
The commissioner is also reviewing a separate incident where a possible sighting of an elderly woman who had gone missing from her home in Glasgow, was not passed onto the police inquiry team.
Janet McKay's body was later discovered in Clydebank, more than a week after her disappearance.


The House of Lords has passed the Brexit bill, paving the way for the government to trigger Article 50 so the UK can leave the EU.

Peers backed down over the issues of EU residency rights and a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal after their objections were overturned by MPs.
The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent and become law on Tuesday.
The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said this would leave Theresa May free to push the button on withdrawal talks.
The prime minister could theoretically invoke Article 50, which formally starts the Brexit process, as early as Tuesday.
However, Downing Street sources have said this will not happen this week and the PM is expected to wait until the end of the month to officially notify the EU of the UK's intention to leave, thus beginning what is expected to be a two-year process.
"Parliament has today backed the government in its determination to get on with the job of leaving the EU," Brexit Secretary David Davis said. "We are now on the threshold of the most important negotiation for our country in a generation."
The EU Withdrawal Bill was passed unamended after peers voted by 274 votes to 118 not to challenge the Commons again over the issue of whether Parliament should have a veto on the terms of exit.
The House of Lords had already agreed not to reinsert guarantees over the status of EU residents in the UK back into the bill after they were rejected by MPs, with the government winning the vote by a margin of 274 votes to 135.
Earlier, the government had comfortably won votes on the issues in the Commons, with only a handful of Tory MPs rebelling.
Brexit campaigners welcomed the "clear mandate" given to the UK government ahead of the start of official negotiations.
"Now, it's time to go into these negotiations with some ambition and support the government, so it can secure the very best deal - one that is good for the whole UK, and good for the EU too," said Tory MP and former minister Dominic Raab.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the rejection of the Lords amendments was "deeply disappointing" but insisted the opposition would continue to press for the rights of EU nationals to be prioritised and for the maximum parliamentary oversight of the process.
He tweeted: "Labour at every stage will challenge govt plans for a bargain basement Brexit with our alternative that puts jobs & living standards first."


University student accommodation which has the same cladding as the Grenfell Tower block will be replaced "as a matter of urgency".

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) said tests showed the blocks have the Reynobond ACM PE panels.
NTU moved 30 students from three of seven blocks at Byron House on Wednesday.
The cladding is thought to have contributed to the spread of the fire that killed at least 80 people.
It is not known when it will be removed, but NTU said it hopes to complete the work by the start of the new academic year in September.
Students who have now finished for the academic year, were relocated to alternative rooms "as a precautionary measure" while investigations took place.
A National Union of Students spokeswoman said: "We are pleased that Nottingham Trent have taken the decision to remove and replace the cladding on it's halls of residence. We hope other universities and halls providers quickly do the same."
The university and University Partnerships Programme, which owns and runs the Nottingham halls, said in a join statement: "The decision has been made to remove and replace the cladding on these three blocks as a matter of urgency.
"This will begin as soon as possible.
"In the event that this is not possible, we will be offering alternative similar accommodation to students who were due to move into one of these three blocks.
"The safety of our staff and students is of paramount importance."
They added that Byron House, which opened in 2013, has a fire detection system with alarms and sensors in every room.
The nine-storey Bryon House is located on Shakespeare Street directly above the university's student union facilities.


Jamaica's Usain Bolt will prepare for the Rio Olympics by competing at the 2016 London Anniversary Games.

The six-time Olympic champion returns to the track where he won triple gold at the 2012 London Olympics to take part in the event from 22-23 July.
London, which is part of the IAAF Diamond League Series, will host Bolt's final race before Rio 2016.
The 29-year-old retained his 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles at the Beijing World Championships in 2015.


Twenty-four people have been arrested over a suspected plot to smuggle drugs to Liverpool from Spain.

Spanish police said they were holding 21 people who allegedly trafficked cannabis to the city hidden in packs of marble tiles.
Merseyside Police arrested three further suspects.
Spain's Policia Nacional also said five cannabis production centres had been dismantled, and thousands of plants seized.
Footage of part of the operation was posted on the force's Twitter feed.


"Brown sauce" was thrown from a car window and splattered another vehicle in what police are treating as a racially aggravated crime.

The victim was driving on Woodbridge Road East in Ipswich when a black Vauxhall Corsa drew alongside and threw something from the window, police said.
The substance, believed to be brown sauce, went on the door and dashboard.
Suffolk Police believes the incident was racially aggravated as the victim was wearing a headscarf at the time.
Witnesses into the incident, which happened on Saturday between 17:30 and 17:45 BST, are being sought.


Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has given the security forces a one-week deadline to find the killers of a senior general shot dead on Monday.

The killing of General Athanase Kararuza and his wife were "shameful acts," he said.
Their daughter was also wounded in the attack outside her school in the capital, Bujumbura.
More than 400 people have been killed in unrest since Mr Nkurunziza announced a year ago his bid for a third term.
He won elections in July, after surviving a coup attempt and mass protests to demand that he steps down.
General Kararuza was the latest in a string of high-ranking army officials who have been targeted by unidentified gunmen.
"He energetically fought against the coup plotters last year and exceptionally contributed in strengthening peace and security during and after elections," Mr Nkurunziza said in a statement.
General Kararuza's bodyguard was also killed in the shooting.
Security forces have also been accused of killing opponents and dumping them in mass graves by rights group Amnesty International.
Shortly after the attack in Bujumbura, the International Criminal Court announced that it was starting a preliminary investigation into the violence in Burundi.
This will decide whether a full-blown investigation will take place, which could result in charges against those accused of being behind the violence.
BBC Great Lakes reporter Robert Misigaro says the killing is a blow for President Nkurunziza because it shows that he cannot guarantee the safety of his officers.
On Sunday, the Minister for Human Rights Martin Nivyabandi survived a grenade attack as he was coming out of church.
Although both opposition and government forces are ethnically mixed, some fear that the violence could descend into a repeat of the genocidal killings which the country has previously experienced.
Mr Nkurunziza is the former leader of a Hutu rebel group which battled a Tutsi-dominated army for many years until he came to power in 2005 as part of a peace deal.
The African Union had said it would send a 5,000-strong peacekeeping force to the country even if the government did not accept it but it has since back-tracked.


Angela Rayner has been appointed shadow education secretary, the Labour Party has confirmed.

Ms Rayner becomes the third MP to hold the post this week after Lucy Powell and Pat Glass both resigned.
The move comes amid a wave of resignations by Labour MPs seeking a change in leadership.
She was previously a shadow work and pensions minister before moving into the shadow cabinet on Monday with the women and equalities portfolio.
Ms Rayner was elected MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in 2015.
Ms Glass was appointed shadow education secretary by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after the resignation of Ms Powell on Sunday - but she herself also resigned on Wednesday.
Ms Glass said she had stepped down from the post "with a heavy heart" because the "situation is untenable".


Defender Mickey Demetriou, one of the heroes of Newport County's unlikely League Two survival, has signed a two-year contract.

Demetriou, 27, scored four goals in the last seven matches of the season as Newport escaped relegation.
The former Shrewsbury Town and Kidderminster player was named League Two's player of the month for April.
"I'm really happy to get the deal over the line and I'm looking forward to next season," Demetriou said.
Newport manager Mike Flynn said: "I am delighted to get Mickey's signing over the line.
"Mickey has a great left foot and is now entering a stage in his career where his experience and quality is going to be vital for us."
Newport signed five players last week, including the return of David Pipe and Robbie Willmott.
However, they released midfielder Mitch Rose, the brother of Tottenham defender Danny who has since signed for Grimsby.


Theresa May has said she wants EU citizens living in the UK to stay after Brexit as she announced plans designed to put their "anxiety to rest".

All EU nationals lawfully resident for at least five years will be able to apply for "settled status" and be able to bring over spouses and children.
Those who come after an as-yet-unagreed date will have two years to "regularise their status" but with no guarantees.
Jeremy Corbyn said the offer was "not generous" and "too little, too late".
Labour said the UK should have made a unilateral guarantee of security to EU citizens in the aftermath of last year's Brexit vote.
The EU's chief negotiator said the proposals did not go far enough.
A 15-page document outlining the detail of the UK's offer to EU citizens was published as Theresa May briefed MPs on the outcome of Friday's EU summit - at which she first set out her plans.
She told the Commons that she wanted to give reassurance and certainty to the 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK - as well as citizens of the three EEA countries and Switzerland - who she said were an "integral part of the economic and cultural fabric" of the UK.
But she said any deal on their future legal status and rights must be reciprocal and also give certainty to the 1.2 million British expats living on the continent after the UK leaves the EU - expected to be on 29 March 2019.
The key points of the UK's proposals are:
The prime minister told MPs that those granted settled status, equivalent to having indefinite leave to remain, would be "treated as if they were UK citizens for healthcare, benefits and pensions".
Mrs May said the process of application would be simplified and a "light touch" approach adopted. The existing application process for permanent residency, which involves filling out a 85-page form, has been widely criticised.
"Under these plans, no EU citizen currently in the UK lawfully will be asked to leave at the point the UK leaves the EU," Mrs May said.
By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent
Officials anticipate that the process of administering "settled status" will be a huge challenge, with some 3.2 million potential applications.
Those EU nationals who've been assigned residency cards already will have to apply again under the new system, though the process for them is expected to be "streamlined".
It's thought applications for settled status will start to be processed from mid-2018.
Officials say they intend to put in place a new, online, simplified system - but say they are used to dealing with large volumes of applications - 2.5 million visas each year and seven million passports.
Read Danny's blog
Mrs May said spouses, children and other family members currently living overseas would be able to come to the UK and apply for settled status on the same basis as their partners and relatives.
Pressed by several Labour MPs, she suggested there would be no income barriers for anyone whose relatives have been in the UK for more than five years while, for others, existing rules applying to the foreign dependents of British citizens would be in force in future.
"There will be no extra requirements," she said. "We are not talking about splitting up families."
She also insisted the UK should police the new rules rather than the European Court of Justice.
But Mr Corbyn said the question of citizens' rights should have been dealt with in isolation rather than being dragged into the "delicate and complex" matrix of trade and other Brexit-related issues now being discussed.
"The truth is it is too little, too late. That could have been done and should have been done a year ago when Labour put that very proposal to the House of Commons. This isn't a generous offer. This is confirmation the government is prepared to use people as bargaining chips."
The SNP's Ian Blackford said there were still "more questions than answers" about how EU citizens living in Scotland would be affected.
And the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said it could not understand why those who already had permanent residence were being asked to re-apply to obtain the new status.
"These are people who have already proven their right to be here to the government's satisfaction under a very stringent process," said its chief executive Saira Grant.
"It is astonishing that the government wants to take on the expense and administrative hassle of reprocessing all of those applications under a new scheme."
Reacting on Twitter, Michel Barnier, who is leading the Brexit negotiations for the EU, said his goal was the same level of protection that citizens currently have under EU law.
He added: "More ambition, clarity and guarantees needed than in today's UK position."
Another key EU figure, Guy Verhofstadt, who is negotiating on behalf of the European Parliament, warned that any changes to free movement laws before the UK has left would break EU law.