* Ensure the GCI metadata files do not have newline at the end ([#38727](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/38727), [@Amey-D](https://github.com/Amey-D))
* Fix nil pointer dereference in test framework ([#37583](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/37583), [@mtaufen](https://github.com/mtaufen))

- A customizable `OrderedScoreFuncs()` function was introduced. Out-of-tree plugins 
  that used the scheduler's preemption interface could implement this function
  for custom preemption preferences or return nil to keep the current behavior. ([#121867](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/121867), [@lianghao208](https://github.com/lianghao208))

- Avoid caching the Azure VMSS instances whose network profile is nil ([#100948](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/100948), [@feiskyer](https://github.com/feiskyer)) [SIG Cloud Provider]

* Added bool type support for jsonpath. ([#39063](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/39063), [@xingzhou](https://github.com/xingzhou))
* Preventing nil pointer reference in client_config ([#40508](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/40508), [@vjsamuel](https://github.com/vjsamuel))

### Cluster Lifecycle

- kubeadm: fixed nil pointer dereference caused by a bug in url parsing ([#74454](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/74454), [@bart0sh](https://github.com/bart0sh))

* Fixes a bug where if an error was returned that was not an `autorest.DetailedError` we would return `"not found", nil` which caused nodes to go to `NotReady` state. ([#57484](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/57484), [@brendandburns](https://github.com/brendandburns))



# v1.8.6

- Ignore context canceled from validate and mutate webhook ([#120155](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/120155), [@divyasri537](https://github.com/divyasri537)) [SIG API Machinery]
- Kubeadm: fix nil pointer when etcd member is already removed ([#120010](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/120010), [@neolit123](https://github.com/neolit123)) [SIG Cluster Lifecycle]

## Dependencies

### Added

- Applying fix: cleanup outdated routes. ([#102935](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/102935), [@nilo19](https://github.com/nilo19))
- Avoid caching the Azure VMSS instances whose network profile is nil ([#100948](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/100948), [@feiskyer](https://github.com/feiskyer)) [SIG Cloud Provider]

* Fixes a bug where if an error was returned that was not an `autorest.DetailedError` we would return `"not found", nil` which caused nodes to go to `NotReady` state. ([#57484](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/57484), [@brendandburns](https://github.com/brendandburns))

- Ignore context canceled from validate and mutate webhook ([#120017](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/120017), [@divyasri537](https://github.com/divyasri537)) [SIG API Machinery]
- Kubeadm: fix nil pointer when etcd member is already removed ([#120013](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/120013), [@neolit123](https://github.com/neolit123)) [SIG Cluster Lifecycle]

### Other (Cleanup or Flake)