* The `rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1alpha1` version is deprecated and will be removed in a future release.
* Fix an issue where if a CSR is not approved initially by the SAR approver is not retried. ([#49788](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/49788), [@mikedanese](https://github.com/mikedanese))

- Fixed #118052: nodeAffinity on pods can change prior to scheduling gates being removed even when podSpec.affinity is nil in the initial spec, this matches the 1.28 behavior to allow consistent integrators to be written. ([#118199](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/118199), [@aleskandro](https://github.com/aleskandro)) [SIG Apps, Scheduling and Testing]

- Cloud controller manager's node controller now emits timing metrics for initial `Node` synchronization. These metrics measure the delay between the creation of a new `Node` and the node controller's initial management actions, such as removing the cloud provider taint. These metrics should be consulted when setting cloud controller manager's `--concurrent-node-syncs` flag. ([#119241](ht...

   ([#121720](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/121720), [@aojea](https://github.com/aojea))

- Added a new `--init-only` command line flag to `kube-proxy`. Setting the flag makes `kube-proxy` perform its initial configuration that requires privileged mode, and then exit. The `--init-only` mode is intended to be executed in a privileged init container, so that the main container may run with a stricter `securityContext`. ([#120864](https://github.com/kube...