diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ee9f915..a34562b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -23,21 +23,21 @@ The jars are also available in Central:
 <dependency>
     <groupId>org.owasp.encoder</groupId>
     <artifactId>encoder</artifactId>
-    <version>1.3.0</version>
+    <version>1.4.0</version>
 </dependency>
 
 <!-- using Servlet Spec 5 in the jakarta.servlet package use: -->
 <dependency>
     <groupId>org.owasp.encoder</groupId>
     <artifactId>encoder-jakarta-jsp</artifactId>
-    <version>1.3.0</version>
+    <version>1.4.0</version>
 </dependency>
 
 <!-- using the Legacy Servlet Spec in the javax.servlet package use: -->
 <dependency>
     <groupId>org.owasp.encoder</groupId>
     <artifactId>encoder-jsp</artifactId>
-    <version>1.3.0</version>
+    <version>1.4.0</version>
 </dependency>
 ```
 
@@ -98,24 +98,28 @@ TagLib
 
 News
 ----
+### 2025-11-17 - 1.4.0 Release
+The team is happy to announce that version 1.4.0 has been released!
+* feat: add XML 1.1 encoding support [#88](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/88).
+
 ### 2024-08-20 - 1.3.1 Release
 The team is happy to announce that version 1.3.1 has been released!
-* fix: add OSGi related entries in the MANIFEST.MF file (#82).
-* fix: java.lang.NoSuchMethodError when running on Java 8 (#80).
+* fix: add OSGi related entries in the MANIFEST.MF file [#82](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/82).
+* fix: java.lang.NoSuchMethodError when running on Java 8 [#80](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/80).
 
 ### 2024-08-02 - 1.3.0 Release
 The team is happy to announce that version 1.3.0 has been released!
 * Minimum JDK Requirement is now Java 8
   - Requires Java 17 to build due to test case dependencies.
-* Adds Java 9 Module name via Multi-Release Jars (#77).
-* Fixed compilation errors with the ESAPI Thunk (#76).
-* Adds support for Servlet Spec 5 using the `jakarta.servlet.*` (#75).
+* Adds Java 9 Module name via Multi-Release Jars [#77](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/77).
+* Fixed compilation errors with the ESAPI Thunk [#76](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/76).
+* Adds support for Servlet Spec 5 using the `jakarta.servlet.*` [#75](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/88).
   - taglib : &lt;%@taglib prefix="e" uri="owasp.encoder.jakarta"%&gt;
 
 ### 2020-11-08 - 1.2.3 Release
 The team is happy to announce that version 1.2.3 has been released! 
-* Update to  make the manifest OSGi-compliant (#39).
-* Update to support ESAPI 2.2 and later (#37).
+* Update to  make the manifest OSGi-compliant [#39](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/39).
+* Update to support ESAPI 2.2 and later [#37](https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/pull/37).
 
 ### 2018-09-14 - 1.2.2 Release
 The team is happy to announce that version 1.2.2 has been released! 
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index deacc07..be80cdc 100755
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.owasp.encoder</groupId>
     <artifactId>encoder-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>1.3.1</version>
+    <version>1.4.0</version>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
     <name>OWASP Java Encoder Project</name>
@@ -92,15 +92,6 @@
             <url>http://owasp.github.io/owasp-java-encoder</url>
         </site>
     </distributionManagement>
-    <mailingLists>
-        <mailingList>
-            <name>OWASP Java Encoder Issues at GitHub</name>
-            <subscribe>https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/issues</subscribe>
-            <unsubscribe>https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/issues</unsubscribe>
-            <post>https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/issues</post>
-            <archive>https://github.com/OWASP/owasp-java-encoder/issues</archive>
-        </mailingList>
-    </mailingLists>
 
     <issueManagement>
         <system>github</system>
@@ -259,6 +250,11 @@
                     <artifactId>findbugs-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                     <version>3.0.4</version>
                 </plugin>
+                <plugin>
+                    <groupId>org.sonatype.central</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>central-publishing-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                    <version>0.9.0</version>
+                </plugin>
             </plugins>
         </pluginManagement>
 
@@ -384,6 +380,15 @@
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-site-plugin</artifactId>
             </plugin>
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>org.sonatype.central</groupId>
+                <artifactId>central-publishing-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <extensions>true</extensions>
+                <configuration>
+                    <publishingServerId>central</publishingServerId>
+                    <autoPublish>false</autoPublish>
+                </configuration>
+            </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
     <reporting>