diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 2fef3adf..7fa656e9 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 NEWS file for libxml2
 
+v2.12.9: Jul 24 2024
+
+### Security
+
+- [CVE-2024-40896] Fix XXE protection in downstream code
+
+### Improvements
+
+- Undeprecate xmlKeepBlanksDefault
+
+
 v2.12.8: Jun 12 2024
 
 ### Regressions
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1c6b3fa5..fce6c97e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ AC_PREREQ([2.63])
 
 m4_define([MAJOR_VERSION], 2)
 m4_define([MINOR_VERSION], 12)
-m4_define([MICRO_VERSION], 8)
+m4_define([MICRO_VERSION], 9)
 
 AC_INIT([libxml2],[MAJOR_VERSION.MINOR_VERSION.MICRO_VERSION])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([entities.c])