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Good morning.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s brownface scandal continues to dominate the headlines. We’re also covering a growing pro-independence movement in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and a unique, icy research mission in the Arctic.

By Alisha Haridasani Gupta

"I recognize it was something racist to do, and I am deeply sorry," Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press

Trudeau’s brownface scandal contradicts his progressive profile

Recent revelations that Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, dressed up in racist makeup have cast a shadow over his carefully calibrated image as a champion of racial, gender and immigrant rights.

By Thursday, at least three instances of the prime minister caricaturing people of color had surfaced, throwing his re-election campaign into turmoil before the election next month.

Details: On Wednesday, Time magazine published an image showing Mr. Trudeau dressed in brownface for an “Arabian Nights”-themed gala in 2001 at a school where he was a teacher. While apologizing for that image, Mr. Trudeau also admitted to dressing up in blackface while performing a Jamaican folk song in high school.

On Thursday, a Canada-based news organization posted a video showing the prime minister in the early 1990s dressed in blackface and an Afro wig.

Fukushima disaster trial ends in acquittals

Three former executives at the Tokyo Electric Power Company were cleared of criminal negligence for their roles in the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in 2011.

The verdict makes it likely that no one will be held criminally responsible for one of the worst nuclear accidents in history, triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami. Nuclear fallout from the disaster forced the evacuation of more than 160,000 people.

Reminder: Thousands of people were killed by the quake and tsunami, and another 44 people died during the evacuation, prosecutors said.

A Pakistan soldier at the Line of Control, the unofficial border between India and Pakistan that runs through Kashmir. Saiyna Bashir for The New York Times

An independence push in Pakistan-held Kashmir

Pakistan has strongly chastised India for cracking down on the portion of Kashmir that New Delhi controls.

But in the Pakistan-controlled portion of the region, our journalists found a parallel suppression of protesters.

Nevertheless, pro-independence demonstrations are now drawing thousands of people, as residents grow increasingly frustrated that no one on either side of the border is listening to them.

Background: Since 1947, a heavily militarized boundary has split Kashmir in two. The Line of Control, as it is known, was meant to be temporary, with plans for a referendum that would allow Kashmiris to choose whether to join India or Pakistan. That vote never happened, and many Kashmiris fear that it will become permanent.

If you have some time, this is worth it

Can a rugby player become an N.F.L. star?

Finlay MacKay for The New York Times

Jordan Mailata, a 360-pound rugby player from Australia, had never played a game of American football when he was drafted into the N.F.L. by the Philadelphia Eagles. Now he’s trying to learn one of the sport’s most technically demanding positions: offensive tackle.

Some observers are bullish about his potential. “In my years of coaching,” said one league veteran, “I probably haven’t had anybody who looks like that, top to bottom.”

Here’s what else is happening

Afghanistan: At least 50 Afghan civilians were killed in two attacks Thursday, including at least 30 in a drone strike that local officials blamed on the United States.

Intelligence whistle-blower: A complaint to the U.S. government’s spy agency watchdog — said to involve a discussion between President Trump and a foreign leader — triggered a standoff after the White House refused to disclose the contents to lawmakers.

India: The country proposed a nationwide ban on e-cigarettes that is expected to receive parliamentary approval in November, part of a global backlash over the possible health risks posed by vaping.

Pakistan: Gulalai Ismail, a 32-year-old women’s rights activist who was on the nation’s most wanted list, managed to escape to New York last month. She has applied for political asylum in the U.S., though she told The Times that she was still worried about the safety of her parents back home.

The Philippines: The government announced the “re-emergence” of polio, with one case confirmed and another suspected, 19 years after it was eradicated there.

Australia: The country’s first Chinese-born member of Parliament, Gladys Liu, fumbled several answers about her relationship with China in a TV interview last week, sparking a debate about ties between Chinese-Australians and Beijing.

Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, fighting for his political survival, called on his main rival, Benny Gantz, to form a unity coalition government.

Amazon: The retail giant pledged to become carbon neutral by 2040, in part by ordering 100,000 electric delivery trucks.

Eszter Horvath for The New York Times

Snapshot: Above, the German research vessel Polastern, right, and a Russian icebreaker vessel, left, in Tromso, Norway. On Friday evening, both ships will set off for the Laptev Sea, where the Polastern will allow itself to be fully frozen into sea ice for about a year to get a better understanding of how climate change is impacting the Arctic region.

Climate change: Students around the world are planning to skip school today to protest climate change, inspired in part by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old activist.

Banksy: His painting of chimpanzees in the British Parliament, which is set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s next month, seems to have been monkeyed with.

What we’re watching: This music video from Playing for Change, with Rolling Stone’s explanation of how the group went to five continents to lay down the tracks for its version of Robbie Robertson’s “The Weight.” Mark Mazzetti took a brief break from his duties as our Washington-based investigative correspondent to tweet, “This is terrific!”

Now, a break from the news

Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne.

Cook: Try spicy vegetarian nachos, with Cheddar, black beans and chutney.

Watch: Our critic, Manohla Dargis, says “Ad Astra” features a “soulful, nuanced performance” from Brad Pitt as an astronaut on a deep space mission.

Read: “Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party” brings unexpected toppings to this week’s children’s picture book best-seller list.

Smarter Living: What happens when you switch to a green energy provider? Well, there’s no way to guarantee the electrons charging your phone came from a wind farm — you’re really buying generic “renewable energy certificates,” which ensure that all the energy is produced in a sustainable manner. But don’t despair: Our Climate Fwd: newsletter reports the certificates are a “totally legit” way to reduce the carbon footprint.

And if you’re looking to spend a weekend outdoors without going broke, our Frugal Traveler column recommends a camping gear rental service.

And now for the Back Story on …

“September”

Do you remember … the 21st night of September?

If you find yourself shaking your hips on Sunday night, thank Earth, Wind & Fire. Their funk classic “September,” which name-checks the date in its first line, is a staple of weddings and dance floors around the world.

Earth Wind And Fire performing live in Tokyo, Japan, in 1979. Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music, via Getty Images

The song’s unstoppable groove made it a hit when it was released in 1978. More recently, annual Twitter videos made it a viral sensation.

Why the 21st? “We went through all the dates: ‘Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth …’ and the one that just felt the best was the 21st,” Allee Willis, one of the song’s writers, told NPR. “There is no significance beyond it just sang better than any of the other dates.”

Oh, and what does “ba-dee-ya” really mean? It was a placeholder lyric that the band’s leader, Maurice Wright, opted to keep in the song: a lesson to Ms. Willis to “never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.”

That’s it for this briefing. And a correction: Thursday’s briefing misspelled the surname of a filmmaker. He is Miki Dezaki, not Dizaki. Have a groovy weekend.

— Alisha

Thank you
Mark Josephson, Eleanor Stanford and Chris Harcum provided the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.
• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is the second of a two-part series about a new book on Harvey Weinstein by two Times reporters.
• Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: Game for which there are more possible iterations than atoms in the universe (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.
• Farhad Manjoo, who writes on the business and culture of technology for The Times’s business section, will answer questions about his column at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Friday on Twitter (@fmanjoo).