The leader of a Maoist cult wanted a "cadre of women soldiers" trained to combat the "sugar coated bullets of bourgeois culture", a court has heard.

Aravindan Balakrishnan believed women were the "weakest link of bourgeois culture", a former follower said.
His father remarked on the number of women surrounding "Comrade Bala" while visiting his commune in the late 1970s.
The 75-year-old from Enfield denies charges including four counts of rape and seven of indecent assault.
The 64-year-old woman, a former cult member at the Workers Institute commune in south London, told Southwark Crown Court previously that Balakrishnan made her write explicit "sex diaries", extracts from which he shared with the group to humiliate her.
Under cross-examination, she agreed they had been written as "love letters" to the leader, but said it was because of his psychological abuse.
"For him, sex was a weapon for breaking you down so he could rebuild you as this revolutionary cadre", she said.
The woman told the jury on Monday Balakrishnan started off by kissing her before moving on to sexual assault and then having sex with her.
She said she felt powerless to refuse because he had "dehumanised" and "psychologically stripped" her through a barrage of verbal abuse.
The trial continues.


The pound fell sharply after the Bank of England's latest Inflation Report was seen as ruling out any rate rises for some time.

Sterling dropped 0.5% against the dollar to trade at $1.2872, while it also shed a similar amount against the euro to 1.1844 euros.
The Bank trimmed its 2017 growth forecast and said household spending was slowing more quickly than expected.
Rates were held at 0.25%, as expected, after a 7-1 vote by policymakers.
Some analysts had speculated that a second member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee might vote in favour of a rate rise.
On the stock market, the FTSE 100 index closed almost flat, up 1.4 points at 7,386.6, helped by a positive performance from mining shares.
Silver miner Fresnillo rose 5%, while Randgold Resources and Antofagasta also rallied.
Pharmaceuticals firm Hikma dropped 8.2%, making it the biggest faller, after US regulators delayed approval for a new drug.
Hikma has been developing a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's lung drug Advair, but US regulators found "major" issues with its application.
The company said there was now "a low likelihood" that the drug would be approved this year.
Centrica, the British Gas owner, fell a further 5.4% after it went ex-dividend and JP Morgan cut its rating to "underweight" from "overweight".
The bank's analysts pointed to concerns around the impact of regulation given millions of British Gas customers are on standard variable tariffs, and the potential threat of a price war.
BT fell 4.5% after reporting a slide in annual profits.
Mondi was another faller, down 1.7% after the South African packaging company reported lower profits.
First-quarter operating profits dropped 6% to 252m euros (Â£212m) as a result of lower selling prices and rising costs.


Up to £9m is to be spent buying the vehicles used by Lincolnshire's fire and rescue service.

The fleet is currently maintained and tested by private contractor AssetCo and leased by the county council.
The authority has moved to end the 20-year contract as it was "not delivering what we expected" - but emphasised emergency cover was unaffected.
Negotiations over the sale have begun and officials said the money would be found from existing reserves.
AssetCo Lincoln and fire bosses signed the contract in 2006 and then announced the acquisition of 35 new engines and 22 refurbished ones.
The council said it cannot go into details why it ended the contract for legal reasons, however parent company AssetCo Plc has struggled with financial problems.
The council's assistant director of resources, David Forbes, said: "The £9m has been set on the basis we think that is an absolute maximum cost, we think it might be less than that.
"Until discussions with the bank are resolved, which is tied up with separate legal issues with AssetCo, we won't know that."
The authority added it believed the cost of maintaining the fleet in-house would be the "cost neutral" compared to the leasing contract.
Earlier this week the county council said it had underspent by £23m, mainly due to it making about 1,000 redundancies.
AssetCo, which also provides fire equipment for London, said it could not comment ahead of commercial negotiations but has previously stated it was moving away from UK maintenance contracts.


Praise-singers and drummers herald the arrival of the emir of Zazzau in the northern Nigerian town of Zaria.

Nigeria at 50: Special reportStill standing, but standing stillWhat it means to be Nigerian
Resplendent in his flowing red robes and turban, he is surrounded by courtiers and advisors, and protected from the sun by a large white ceremonial umbrella. Palace guards stand to attention as he passes.
In its turbulent half-century of independence, Nigeria has experienced not only a brutal civil war, but also a succession of military coups.
Only in the last decade has it enjoyed relatively stable civilian government.
Throughout this period, one institution that has played an important stabilising role has been that of the traditional rulers of kingdoms large and small across the country.
While traditional leaders hold few constitutional powers, no politician is wise to seek office without his blessing.
In pre-colonial days, kings ruled with absolute power across what is now northern Nigeria. Their origins pre-date even the arrival of Islam some 200 years ago.
Under British rule, these northern emirates were adopted as an integral part of the colonial administration and they became increasingly powerful.
Today, despite attempts by successive governments to marginalise them from the political process, traditional leaders continue to exert significant influence.
"They continue to yield so much power in who gets what political appointments, although most of this influence remains behind the scenes," explains Kabiru Sufi, a political scientist.
This remains so particularly in the mainly Muslim north, where they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition.
In one of Kano's largest markets it was difficult to find shoppers who disagreed with that sentiment.
"I trust my traditional rulers because they don't loot our money," one man told us, reflecting a widely held disillusionment with the elected political class in Nigeria.
Another says: "I trust them because they choose quality politicians who will help the people, and I'm happy to vote for the candidates they advise."
These sentiments are particularly pertinent at a time when political aspirants are jockeying for selection as party candidates ahead of local and national elections in just a few months' time.
At the emir's palace, a horn is sounded as he enters the inner royal chamber.
A succession of local dignitaries approach him, now seated on his golden throne, to pay their respects.
When independence came to Nigeria, Shehu Idris was a school headmaster.
But with his royal lineage he was destined for another calling.
For more than three decades, he has been the emir of a kingdom with its palace in the town of Zaria, and influence over a much larger region known as Zazzau.
We have been granted a special audience, and approach the royal throne.
Little has changed in terms of protocol and tradition in such courts for many centuries.
What role does he see for traditional rulers in today's Nigeria?
"It is for us to intervene in disputes to bring peace to communities," he says.
When it comes to elections, "we don't give support to politicians. We give them blessing, that they should have respect and be ready to serve the people who have elected them."
It is easy to be cynical, and to object that Nigeria's recent history has been both chaotic and violent.
Or to suggest that politicians in Nigeria are held in such low regard that any idea that they enter politics to serve anything other than their own pockets, sounds faintly ludicrous.
But the moral certainty of values the emir upholds are genuine and widely respected and traditional beliefs, both spiritual and religious, are powerful forces in Nigeria.
With the audience over, the trumpet sounds and the court herald declares the session at an end.
Along with his many advisors, we withdraw from the room leaving the emir alone on his golden throne.


A woman has denied causing the death of a cyclist after appearing in court following a crowdfunded campaign for a private prosecution.

Gail Purcell is charged with causing death by careless driving following a collision with Michael Mason, 70, on Regents Street, London, in 2014.
The 58-year-old from St Albans, Herts, pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey.
The Cyclists' Defence Fund raised Â£60,000 from 1,500 donations to pursue the action.
Mr Mason died 19 days after the collision having never regained consciousness from his injuries.
Police had declined to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Private prosecutions can be brought by any individual or organisation and proceed in exactly the same way as those brought by the CPS.
Before proceeding with a prosecution, the CPS will consider if the case is in the public interest and if there is sufficient evidence to secure a conviction.
Ms Purcell will face a six-day trial on 3 April and was granted unconditional bail.


A few downpours failed to dampen the enthusiasm of concert-goers at the 2017 Cambridge Folk Festival.

More than 14,000 people have attended one of the UK's leading folk festivals, with the final day bathed in sunshine.
Festival highlights included a spirited set from Saturday's headliner Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls.
"It's a bumper year despite occasional bad weather," said Neil Jones, from festival organiser Cambridge Live.
"It has not dampened the energy of the crowd and the festival has seen some amazing performances."
Former Damien Rice collaborator Lisa Hannigan and Orkney folk group Fara also took to the stage during the four-day festival, which got under way on Thursday in the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall.
Up-and-coming performers were championed too, including Norfolk Americana band Morganway, singer-songwriter Kerry Devine, from Cambridge, and Danni Nichol, from Bedford.
Devine played the Den on Saturday evening.
"I was born in Ely and brought up in Cambridge, so playing the Cambridge Folk Festival is really special to me, " she said.


The world's largest wild reindeer herd has fallen by 40% since 2000, scientists have warned.

They say that the animals, which live in the Taimyr Peninsula in the northernmost tip of Russia, are being affected by rising temperatures and human activity.
This is causing the animals to change their annual migration patterns.
The research has been presented at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
"There is a substantial decline - and we are also seeing this with other wild reindeer declining rapidly in other parts of the world," said Andrey Petrov, who runs the Arctic Centre at the University of Northern Iowa, US.
The Taimyr herd is one of the most monitored groups of reindeer in the world. The animals have been tracked for nearly 50 years by aerial surveys and more recently by satellite imagery.
The population reached a peak of one million in 2000, but this latest research suggests that there are now only 600,000 reindeer.
"Climate change is at least one of the variables," explained Prof Petrov.
"We know in the last two decades that we have had an increase in temperatures of about 1.5C overall. And that definitely impacts migration patterns."
Industrial development is increasing in the region, which is also changing the animals' distribution.
The researchers found that in the summer, the reindeer were moving east to avoid human activity. But they were also shifting north and to higher elevations.
The team thinks this is to try to get to cooler ground and also to avoid the mosquitoes that are booming as the region gets warmer and wetter.
"They just move and move and move to escape them," said Prof Petrov.
This is extending the distance that the animals have to migrate between winter and summer.
"They now have to travel much longer distances to reach those areas with their newborn calves, and that means there is an increase in calf mortality."
He added that rivers in the region were also growing in size, making them more dangerous for the animals as they had to swim rather than walk across them.
In addition, food in the summer grounds is becoming more scarce, especially as the animals move to higher elevations.
Prof Petrov said it was important to try to halt the decline.
"Reindeer are tremendously important for biodiversity - they are part of the Arctic food chain and without them other species would be in trouble," he explained.
"But on the other hand, in all the areas they inhabit, they are vital for peopleâ€™s survival.
"Thousands and thousands of people rely on wild reindeer; it is the basis of their subsistence economy. So it's about human sustainability too."
Follow Rebecca on Twitter @BBCMorelle


Wales' Natalie Powell believes winning European judo gold next month would earn selection for the Rio Olympics.

Powell won bronze at the Tbilisi Judo Grand Prix, but fell to ninth in the world rankings, one spot below automatic selection.
The European Championships are in Kazan, Russia from 21-24 April, with Powell hoping to beat Gemma Gibbons to secure Great Britain's -78kg place.
"That would definitely secure my spot if I won the Europeans," said Powell.
"I don't think there's any catching me after that point."
England's Gibbons won silver at the 2012 London Olympics and Powell beat her to win the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Powell, 25, is four places above 29-year-old Gibbons in the world rankings after beating European junior champion Madeleine Malonga of France to take third place in Tbilisi.
"I'm pleased with the medal because it means I've got a few more points towards qualification, but it wasn't the best day of fighting for me," Powell told BBC Radio Wales.
"I really struggled in most of my fights. I'd just come off the end of a really concentrated training block and gone straight into competition.
"I was quite tired to be honest, but I was really pleased to be able to pull out a result when I was physically probably not in the best shape that I could have been."


Security forces in Yemen have shot dead at least 12 people and wounded 80 others during protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the capital, Sanaa.

Tens of thousands marching to the city centre were met with live rounds, tear gas and water cannon.
President Saleh has been battling eight months of street protests.
Separately, the media chief of militant group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was reportedly killed in an air strike.
Witnesses in Sanaa said protesters calling for the resignation of Mr Saleh were marching from their stronghold in Change Square to an area controlled by the elite Republican Guard force, which is loyal to the president.
Many of the wounded were taken by ambulances to a field hospital in Sixty Street.
Anti-government protesters have been camping there for months.
And in a northern district of Sanaa, at least six people were killed in fighting between supporters of President Saleh and Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, a leading tribal chief who has sided with the protesters
Mr Saleh has so far resisted calls from many Western countries to stand down, in spite of saying on several occasions he was prepared to do so.
On 8 October he said in a speech broadcast on state television: "I reject power and I will continue to reject it, and I will be leaving power in the coming days."
Yemen Crisis: Who could take over
Mr Saleh returned to Yemen unexpectedly last month from Saudi Arabia, where he had been receiving treatment after his office was shelled in June.
As well as street protests, he faces an insurrection by renegade army units.
Mr Saleh has repeatedly refused to sign a transition deal brokered by Gulf states, first presented in March, whereby he would hand over power to his vice-president in return for immunity from prosecution.
Meanwhile, Yemen's defence ministry said al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) media chief Ibrahim al-Banna, an Egyptian national, and at least six other militants had been killed in an air strike in Shabwa province on Friday.
Tribal elders in the area said the attack also killed the eldest son and a cousin of US-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by the Americans last month.
Some reports said the latest attack also involved pilotless US drones, others that it was by Yemeni planes.
Local officials told Reuters news agency that as many as 24 al-Qaeda militants were killed.
The defence ministry called Banna one of the group's "most dangerous operatives", who was wanted internationally for "planning attacks both inside and outside Yemen".
Local officials said a house where the militants had been meeting had been targeted but the group had already left. The vehicles they were travelling in were subsequently hit and destroyed.
There have been previous reports of Banna's death, including one in January last year, but these were denied by AQAP.
In an apparent revenge attack, militants had blown up a gas pipeline that runs from Maarib province to Belhaf on the Arabian Sea, with flames visible several kilometres away.
Yemen regularly plays down the American role in the country, saying it is supporting Yemen's own counter-terror operations.
A US drone attack in Khashef in Jawf province, about 140km (90 miles) east of Sanaa on 30 September killed Awlaki, a US-born radical Islamist cleric, and US-born propagandist Samir Khan.


The authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have arrested three political activists who called for democratic and economic reforms.

They include outspoken economics professor Nasser bin Ghaith, said a lawyer and fellow activist on Sunday.
Also detained were Fahad Salem al-Shehhi and Ahmed Mansour, who took part in an online pro-democracy forum.
Mr Mansour was arrested on Friday in Dubai after he signed a petition in favour of an elected parliament.
Emirati intellectuals and activists, inspired by popular uprisings sweeping the Arab world, petitioned the UAE president on 9 March to introduce direct elections and invest parliament with legislative powers.
The UAE is an alliance of seven sheikdoms run by ruling families. The parliament, based in the capital Abu Dhabi, serves as an advisory body.
Its 40 members are either directly appointed by the ruling sheikhs or elected by citizens hand-picked by the rulers to vote.
There are no official opposition groups and political parties are banned.
Several Gulf states have been rocked by pro-democracy protests inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, including Bahrain, Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia.


The Rio Paralympic Games are fast approaching and Britain's top disabled athletes are hoping that the coming year can bring success.

The Games, which run from 7-18 September, will see around 4,350 athletes from more than 160 countries travel to Rio, Brazil, to compete in 526 medal events in 22 different sports.
Britain enjoyed a hugely successful London Paralympics in 2012, winning 120 medals, including 34 golds, to finish third on the medal table behind China and Russia.
With a team of more than 200 expected to be named for the Games, here's a look at some of the Paralympic athletes hoping to make an impact in 2016 on the biggest stage of all.
Despite being only 17, Moore has been playing wheelchair basketball for eight years and is now a key part of the GB women's squad who will be playing at next year's Rio Paralympics.
Charlotte has a busy life, combining her first year of A Level study in Biology, Chemistry and PE with training alongside the rest of the GB players who are based at the University of Worcester.
The teenager, who is paralysed from the waist down, enjoyed double medal success in 2015, first helping the GB Under-25 Women to the world title before securing bronze at the European Championships.
"Having so many others on the team around the same age as me has been really good," she said.
"I would love to be selected to Rio and try and put in the same sort of performance that I did at the Europeans but under that bit more pressure."
In January 2013 the then 27-year-old Giglia was working as fitness coach when she suffered a stroke which left her with restricted movement down her right side.
Keen to get back into sport, cycling formed part of her recovery and after being spotted by British Cycling, she joined their development programme in 2014.
She made her major international debut in 2015, racing in both the World Track and World Road Championships, and finished the year on a high at the Manchester Para-Cycling event, winning a gold in the C3 pursuit race.
"At the moment, I don't allow myself to think too much about Rio because you never know what is going to happen" said Giglia.
"I never dreamed I would get to this level but it has allowed me to turn what was a bad situation into a good one. It gives me something to live for and I hope what I am doing can give other people hope that that can do something with their lives."
The Norwich teenager is Britain's top ranked junior and is hoping to make his Paralympic debut in Rio at the age of 18.
Hewett was born with a heart problem, which required surgery when he was six months old, and then aged seven he was diagnosed with a condition called Perthes Disease, which affects his hip joint.
Hewett's 2015 saw him make his debut in the Wimbledon wheelchair doubles event in July and also win singles titles in Berlin and Italy and the British Open doubles title.
"It has definitely been a roller-coaster year," he said. "I had some good wins over top 10 players but also some sloppy performances so there is a lot to take out of it for next year.
"Getting to Rio would mean a lot. I've had to overcome a lot but this has been my goal and it would prove that all the hard work and the sacrifices my family and I have made were worth it and a medal would be a dream come true."
Having won team bronze at London 2012, Wilson wants to add an individual medal to that if he is selected for Rio.
The 20-year-old was the youngest member of the GB table tennis squad in London, missing out on a medal in the singles before linking up with Will Bayley and Aaron McKibbin for the team event.
Wilson, who has a condition which affects the growing ends of the bones, is expecting to find out whether he has been selected for Rio early in 2016.
He said: "After London, I suffered with a shoulder injury, and that meant a lot of rehabilitation. I also had knee and shoulder operations, so it has required a lot of patience and a lot of waiting around."
"That has helped me improve in the gym and improve psychologically and everything is coming together now."
Watching Hannah Cockcroft and David Weir win gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics proved a key moment in the life of Coventry teenager Kare Adenegan.
Having been left out from participating in sports at school for health and safety reasons, the Games made her realise that she could take part in sport, despite her cerebral palsy, and she quickly discovered that there was an athletics club in her city.
In October, aged 14, she was the youngest member of the GB team at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, winning two bronze medals.
"The World Championships were a stepping stone and I learned a lot about technique and tactics which should be beneficial for future competitions. The thought that I might be competing at Rio Paralympics is extremely exciting" says Adenegan.
He may only have made his England debut a few months ago, but Crossen is already targeting gold with Great Britain at the Rio Paralympics.
The 25-year-old defender, from Stockton-on-Tees, impressed in June as England finished fifth at the Cerebral Palsy World Championships, their best ever, to secure a place for GB in Brazil.
He admits he almost gave up football "10 times" after a stroke at the age of 22 left him with restricted movement on his left side.
Crossen said: "I am going for gold. Definitely a medal is the aim going into it. I am not going there to be a tourist, I am going for a medal.
"I would say we have got the third-best team in the world. I know the rankings don't say that but I think we could beat anyone on our day."


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has opened a rare party congress by praising his country's nuclear achievements.

Appearing before thousands of delegates, he said: "Unprecedented results have been accomplished."
This year saw the country announce its fourth nuclear weapon test and that it sent a rocket into space.
The showpiece congress, the first in 36 years, is a chance for the North Korean leader to cement his power.
More than 100 foreign journalists were invited into the country to cover the event but were barred from the April 25 House of Culture, where the party congress is being held.
They were instead taken on a tour round a wire-making factory.
News of Mr Kim's comments came via state television, which showed him on stage speaking to a packed venue.
"This year... our military and people accomplished great success in the first hydrogen bomb test and (the launch of) the Earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4," Mr Kim said.
"(These events) will be recorded as remarkable achievements."
This is the seventh meeting of the North Korea's Worker's Party and it is being closely scrutinised for any signs of political or economic change.
The audience of more than 3,000 of the most senior people in North Korea could not have clapped louder and longer. As they watched their Supreme Leader at Pyongyang's House of Culture, Kim Jong-un eventually gestured to them to stop but still they applauded.
When they did finally stop, he delivered a message of triumph.
The key will now be whether he orders a fifth nuclear test, as he had threatened.
It may be that this Congress is no more than rhetoric designed to cement his position as a strong leader in the eyes of those around him today and those outside the hall, the ordinary people of North Korea.
Few details were released before the congress, but it is due to elect a new central committee, which appoints a Politburo - the central decision-making body of the Communist party.
The appointments will be watched carefully. In 2013 Kim Jong-un had his uncle executed for "acts of treachery" and there have been many reports of purges of high-profile figures.
Some experts have said that Mr Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong is tipped for promotion.
Pyongyang was spruced up ahead of the event, with North Koreans planting flowers and hanging up huge banners with slogans like "Defend the Headquarters of the Korean Revolution at the Cost of our Lives".
No congress was held during the rule of Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-il. His death in 2011 brought Kim Jong-un to power when he was still in his 20s.
The 1980 congress, held before Kim Jong-un was born, saw Kim Jong-il presented as successor to the North's founding leader Kim Il-sung.
Despite his death in 1994, Kim Il-sung, who has been named North Korea's "eternal president'', still officially presides over the latest congress, which is expected to run for several days.


Two mental health charities in Wales are set to merge, it has been announced.

Hafal said it would join up with Crossroads Mid and West Wales (CMWW) to form one organisation from April 2017.
The move will involve the transfer of CMWW assets, services and staff to Hafal.
Hafal's chief executive Alun Thomas said it would secure the charity's future in the coming years.
By creating a larger organisation, staff levels were expected to increase along with its budget, he added.
CMWW currently operates in Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys while Hafal operates across Wales.
Roger Gant, chief executive of CMWW, said: "We will of course look to our members and clients, and to our staff group, to help us develop the unified organisation and to continue to deliver excellent services."


A man has died after a two-car crash that seriously injured two others.

It happened on Portland Beach Road in Dorset at about 23:25 BST on Wednesday and involved a blue BMW and a grey Peugeot 2008.
The 72-year-old passenger of the Peugeot died in hospital on Thursday after suffering life-threatening injuries. Two other men sustained serious injures and were also taken to hospital.
Police are appealing for witnesses.
The road was closed in both directions while forensic investigations were carried out but has since reopened.


Pope Francis has celebrated Mass in front of an audience of hundreds of thousands of Ugandan faithful.

He spoke at a Catholic shrine dedicated to Christians martyred for their faith in the 19th Century, on the second stage of his three-country Africa tour.
The Mass marks the 50th anniversary of the martyrs' canonisation.
After the mass he addressed thousands of young people, encouraging them to turn to their faith when faced with difficulties.
There were huge cheers as the Pope began the open-air ceremony at Namugongo, near the capital Kampala.
It was where many of the 45 Anglican and Catholic martyrs were burned alive.
Their execution was ordered by a king worried about the spread of Christianity.
Thousands of pilgrims braved rain to spend the night holding a vigil near the martyrs' shrines and there were long lines of pilgrims still trying to access the shrine as Pope Francis addressed the crowds on Saturday morning.
The Pope's five big issues in Africa
After the mass more than 150,000 young Ugandans gathered on the outskirts of Kampala for the Pope's other public event of the day.
Pope Francis urged them to use their faith to confront life's difficulties and turn negative experiences into strength.
Uganda is a deeply religious country, with over 14.1 million Catholics - and even adherents of other faiths will be paying close attention to the Pope's words, say correspondents.
He arrives here during the third week of a presidential campaign being fought by the country's ruler for the past 29 years, President Yoweri Museveni.
The Pope's message against corruption, and the need to care for the poor, is being welcomed by ordinary people here, in a place where some say corruption does much to damage the economy, and little to help people out of poverty.
Uganda ranks 142nd out of 175 countries on Transparency International's corruption perception index.
Gay rights activists in Uganda have expressed their disappointment that the Vatican did not respond to their request for a meeting with the Pope.
Openly gay Ugandans face many difficulties in everyday life, with many churches here preaching against homosexuality and encouraging homophobia. A Ugandan law, originally passed when the country was a British colony, still allows the authorities to pass a sentence of life imprisonment for gay people caught having sex.
There have been some critical references to the Pope's visit on Twitter - with some wondering "how many people have HIV today because contraception isn't allowed?" while others accused him of ignoring extreme anti-gay attitudes in Uganda.
On Friday, the Pope addressed an audience of young people in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, urging them to unite and take a stand against the destructive effects of tribalism.
He will travel to the Central African Republic (CAR), which has been hit by serious violence between Christian and Muslim militias in recent years, on Sunday.
Religion in sub-Saharan Africa:
Profile: Pope Francis
Source: US-based Pew Research Center 2011 survey


Manchester City's flawless start to the Premier League season continued with a sixth successive victory at Swansea City - but the pursuing pack also made an impressive case for their title credentials.

Tottenham remain unbeaten in second place after winning at Middlesbrough while Arsenal and Liverpool dismantled Chelsea and Hull City. Manchester United, without dropped Wayne Rooney, thrashed champions Leicester City after two successive league defeats.
So what were the big issues to emerge from a pulsating day of Premier League football?
Jose Mourinho insisted his 30-year-old captain - left out after early season struggles - was "my man" and Rooney himself joined the celebrations from his place on the bench as the home side flourished without him in an emphatic 4-1 win at Old Trafford.
The United manager said: "I trust him completely. He's as happy as I am at this moment that the team won. He's a big player for me, for United, a big player for this country."
It may not quite be the day that marks the beginning of the end for Rooney's United career but, as well as words of support, Mourinho made a tactical point that suggested he may be spending a lot more time applauding from the technical area rather than the pitch.
Mourinho said: "When our main striker is Zlatan we need fast people surrounding him to bring that intensity to the game."
Media playback is not supported on this device
For all the qualities Rooney still possesses, and there are many, being fast is not one of them and it is clear at this point in time that Ibrahimovic is Mourinho's main striker.
Ander Herrera provided the base for Paul Pogba and Juan Mata to excel and score, while Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard provided the pace Mourinho craved.
Mourinho is wise enough - certainly more of an Einstein (as he sarcastically called his critics) than most of us when it comes to football - not to make Rooney feel too marginalised but add Antony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the Old Trafford equation and he has a real fight on his hands to earn a place.
Only a fool would write Rooney off and this consummate team man will wait for his next chance but it is now evident that Mourinho has the resources and tactical flexibility to do without his influence on even more occasions in the future.
Liverpool's blistering early season form comes with a two-word caveat that they are slowly but surely making irrelevant - namely the phrase "Burnley apart…"
It was that 2-0 loss at Turf Moor in the second game of the season that sends up the only cloud of doubt about a Liverpool team that looks intense, aggressive, attractive and a real threat under manager Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool have gained seven points from three tough away games against Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea while Saturday's 5-1 win over Hull City made it nine goals at Anfield following the 4-1 victory against Leicester City.
Klopp can focus on the Premier League without the distractions of European football and so far the results have been impressive, with £34m summer signing from Southampton Sadio Mane giving an extra cutting edge and Adam Lallana in arguably the best form of his career.
The charismatic German is carrying his players and Liverpool's fans with him as they start to believe they can really make an impact this season. Klopp called their beating of Hull City "world class".
Media playback is not supported on this device
Title talk is wildly premature and an occasionally suspect defence will face greater tests as Liverpool go deeper into the season - but Klopp looks like he could easily keep an emerging side in the top four.
Tottenham have taken a "softly-softly" approach into second place. They are now one of only two unbeaten teams in the Premier League, along with leaders Manchester City, after their 2-1 win at Middlesbrough and Everton's loss at Bournemouth.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have been steady rather than spectacular but have ground out wins at home to Crystal Palace and Sunderland while winning impressively on the road against Stoke City and at The Riverside.
The biggest measure of their title aspirations will come when they face Manchester City at White Hart Lane next weekend - and also how they cope with injured striker Harry Kane.
Spurs went close to the title last season so there is no reason to suspect they will not be in the shake-up this term, especially as they are currently second without hitting top form.
And now they have a new inspiration in the revitalised Son Heung-min, the South Korean finally showing his true capabilities after a transitional season following his £20m move from Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015 with both goals at Middlesbrough.
Arsenal's 3-0 win against Chelsea was their first over their London rivals since 2011 and their biggest victory against them since April 1997 - a scoreline reflected in the performance of both teams.
Manager Arsene Wenger has suffered enough at Chelsea's hands, particularly under Mourinho, to be allowed to celebrate this convincing triumph, which he called: "One of the best performances in recent years. We played with style, with pace, with movement - and that is the sort of football we want to play."
The Gunners were simply irresistible, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil leading the charge with world-class displays, both on the target and tormenting Chelsea for 90 minutes.
Arsenal were magnificent. The question now is will they be magnificent at Burnley next week, then at home to Swansea City after the international break?
On this form they can beat anyone. In previous seasons they have also proved they can lose to anyone - hence no Premier League since "The Invincibles" season of 2003/04 when they won the title going unbeaten over 38 games.
Wenger has many admirers as he reaches 20 years at Arsenal who would delight in seeing him achieve title-winning status again. Can he unlock the key to consistency that would at least put Arsenal among the main contenders?
Media playback is not supported on this device
For now, though, this enduring purist can revel in a performance from his Arsenal side that was a thing of football beauty.
As for Chelsea, this was an abominable effort, even worse than in defeat by Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Manager Antonio Conte must rebuild a team that looks old, jaded and in desperate need of renewal. Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic look like players in the closing stages of their Chelsea career while England defender Gary Cahill is increasingly vulnerable and accident prone.
David Luiz, predictably, has brought a sense of chaos to Chelsea's defending following the decision to re-sign him in a £32m deal from Paris St. Germain while Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard were so poor they could have no complaints at being substituted.
Conte will need time to sort Chelsea out. He will hope demanding owner Roman Abramovich understands the scale of the problems.
When Jermain Defoe put Sunderland 2-0 up on the hour against Crystal Palace, manager David Moyes must have thought the almost unrelenting footballing misery he has endured on Wearside since succeeding Sam Allardyce was over.
It was not to be - Sunderland could not even hold out for a draw, losing to Christian Benteke's injury-time header to anchor the Premier League with one point from six games.
Sunderland now face a vital home game to West Bromwich Albion next weekend before a visit to fellow strugglers Stoke City - and even at this stage of a season in its infancy, The Black Cats simply have to start getting points on the board.
Moyes hardly lightened the mood around The Stadium Of Light by announcing after two games their season would be a relegation fight but his players are doing nothing to suggest he was being unduly pessimistic.
The Scot needs results himself to restore his confidence and managerial reputation after two sackings at Manchester United and Real Sociedad - and he wants his players to now start doing their bit.
He said: "We're in a similar situation to where the club's been for the last two or three seasons. To address this, when we go 2-0 up, we don't lose headers and challenges.
"The players have got to do their bit and I'm not sure in certain situations they did. Many managers have said similar things and maybe the fans are now used to it. I do think the players need to be big enough to play and do the right things."
It is a parlous position for Sunderland and Moyes once more - and defeats like this, a real kick in the teeth after that first win looked in sight, will only increase the sense of crisis closing in on the club.
Media playback is not supported on this device


Glasgow Warriors hooker Fraser Brown says he's "disappointed" by Munster centre Keith Earls' claims he milked a dangerous tackle during their European Champions Cup clash in October.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Earls was sent-off and suspended for two weeks after upending Brown.
He told Irish media last month he felt the Scotland hooker "could have done more to protect himself" - a remark Brown finds disrespectful.
"As professional players we've got a duty of care for each other," he said.
"If you do something wrong, it's being big enough to put your hand up and say you got something wrong. So for me, it's disappointing he could come out and put the blame somewhere else."
The fixture was racked with emotion, six days after the death of Munster's head coach, Anthony Foley.
The rampant hosts overcame Earls' 19th-minute dismissal to hammer Glasgow 38-17.
The Ireland centre, however, was left incensed by his ordering-off, and while he apologised for kicking water bottles as he left the field, he felt the red card denied him the opportunity to honour Foley with his performance.
Brown says the tip-tackle showed the fine margins between hard but fair rugby and dangerous play.
"It's such a physical sport, rugby," he said. "Every single moment in the game, you can be right on the edge of doing something really well or you can just go past that edge.
"I don't think anyone goes out there to deliberately hurt anybody - he certainly didn't. In my mind, it's a 50-50 tackle; it's almost the perfect tackle and it's just gone over the edge to being a bad tackle.
"I think afterwards claiming that I could probably have done more is a bit disrespectful to myself and to other guys in that situation.
"The incident for me is a non-incident because it happens all the time in rugby, it's just that fine edge you can be on both sides of.
"We spoke after the incident and we actually messaged each other a couple of times and that was put to bed - I'd just say it's a little bit disappointing to hear what he's come out with the last couple of weeks, but I'm not going to go into it in too much detail.
"It was dealt with by the disciplinary panel, they felt it was a dangerous tackle and he got an appropriate sanction."
Warriors have lost three successive Pro12 games for the first time under head coach, Gregor Townsend.
They resume their Champions Cup campaign on Saturday away to Parisian giants Racing 92.
Brown, 27, believes the players' intensity and drive has been below par in patches, but admits he can't pinpoint precisely why standards have slipped.
"It's very much a personal thing," he said. "When I joined Glasgow there was a great culture here and it's something we've maintained and continued.
"We've maybe lost a couple of guys the last couple of years, and it's about continually developing that culture within the group, new guys that have come in, younger guys from five or six years ago are now senior guys in the squad.
"It's how we keep developing that culture and make sure we keep the standards high, the hard-working ethos we have. We are a team that have had relative success the last few years, and with that success you can sometimes get a little bit of complacency, and it's how we maintain our standards and drive so we don't let that complacency creep in."


A charity dedicated to helping a Polish care home "village" in north Wales will host its last ever carol concert later.

The Friends of Penrhos Polish Home have raised £180,000 since forming 18 years ago, but say an ageing membership means it is time to call it a day.
The home, near Pwllheli, Gwynedd, was founded in 1949 on a former RAF base to help exiled Polish war veterans.
Nearly 70 years on, it is still caring for the needs of Polish pensioners.
"It will be a bittersweet night," said the charity's chairwoman, Eryl Williams.
"We've got to know so many of those at Penrhos - it really will be with regret that we are saying goodbye."
In its early days after WW2 the RAF base was a stark home for veterans, housed in wooden huts scattered across the former airfield.
But as the decades rolled past, the vast majority of the huts were dismantled, and today, the home provides both sheltered housing and residential and nursing care.
"It has become part of our community, and it really has been a humbling experience being able to help them," added Mrs Williams.
"But there are no new volunteers coming forward, people have other commitments - life is busy.
"So now is the time to say farewell."


(Open): Wall Street's leading share indexes were all higher in early Thursday trade, showing signs of recovery after two days of losses.

By mid-morning, the Dow Jones was up 93.2 points or 0.55% at 17,017.95.
The S&P 500 was 12.83 points or 0.64% higher at 2,007.07, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq index gained 44.41 points or 0.93% to 4,827.26.
Boeing was the biggest gainer on the Dow, adding 2.35% as it bounced back from losses suffered on Wednesday.


Prime Minister David Cameron says he will meet the culture secretary to discuss a TV drama about a 1991 double murder in County Londonderry.

ITV's The Secret tells the story of convicted killer Colin Howell and Hazel Buchanan who killed their spouses and kept the deaths secret for 18 years.
The programme has been criticised by the daughter of one of the victims, saying it had left her traumatised.
A Labour Party MP raised the matter in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Howell and Buchanan are serving jail sentences over the murders of Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell, whose bodies were found in a fume-filled car in Castlerock 25 years ago.
Police believed at the time that they had died in a suicide pact, but Howell handed himself in in 2009, admitting that he had gassed the pair with Buchanan's help.
Sheffield MP Louise Haigh said the victims' families were reliving the pain of their loved ones' killings as a result of the drama.
She added that "victims' voices should have a far greater role" in determining whether or not programmes based on real-life events should be made.
Lauren Bradford, a daughter of Lesley Howell, wrote an opinion piece in the Guardian after the first episode of The Secret was broadcast, saying its makers "trivialise the reality of these events and dehumanise the impact that it has on those involved".
She added that victims' families needed to have more rights "over their 'story' and the narrative of their loved ones".
Mr Cameron said he would discuss the programme with Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to see if there is anything "more that can be done" in similar cases.
Actor James Nesbitt plays Howell in the drama, based on a book by journalist Deric Henderson that details the murders and the years that followed.
In a statement, an ITV spokesperson said the scripts for the programme were based on an "exhaustively researched" book by a "highly respected journalist" and that extensive additional research had been carried out.
They said the families of both victims were informed of the production and given an opportunity to see it in advance of broadcast.
"ITV has a proud record of broadcasting award-winning factual dramas, based on or representing real events and people. These include Hillsborough, Bloody Sunday, The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, Appropriate Adult, Code of A Killer, The Widower, and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies", the spokesperson said.
"We have never suggested that they (the families) approved or authorised the drama. We do believe that we have conducted the making and broadcast of this series responsibly, in seeking to minimise distress to family members, in so far as we were able to do so, given the subject matter."


A boy died accidentally on last year's GCSE results day after trying to work out how actor Robin Williams had killed himself, an inquest has heard.

Temidayo Joseph, 16, died at Basildon Hospital after he was found hanging at his home in South Ockendon on 21 August, 2014.
An inquest in Chelmsford heard he had been speaking about the death of Mr Williams just days before his death.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded.
Area Coroner for Essex Eleanor McGann said it seemed he was trying to work out how Mr Williams had died 10 days beforehand and it went "horribly wrong".
He was a "happy boy" and his death was a "tragic accident", she said.
After the hearing, Temidayo's father Vincent said: "He was a very good boy, with a very good character. We don't know what happened.
"I loved him so much, I have lost a good friend."


Police boarded a plane due to take off at Newcastle Airport after the crew claimed some passengers were drunk.

Almost 70 passengers on Sunday's 14:25 BST to Stansted were delayed for about five hours after the incident.
Northumbria Police said four businessmen from London who were among a stag party were removed and spoken to by officers.
Flybe apologised for the delay, adding it had a "zero tolerance" approach to unruly behaviour on its flights.
A Northumbria Force spokesman said: "We were called by airport staff to help remove a group of drunk and disorderly passengers from a plane at Newcastle Airport.
"The group was escorted off the plane and spoken to."
No arrests resulted from the incident, but a 30-year-old man was reported for an offence under the aviation act.
A airline spokesman said: "Flybe sincerely regrets the inconvenience experienced by passengers.
"This resulted from the threatening and overly abusive behaviour exhibited towards the cabin crew immediately prior to departure, initially initiated by four members of a 13-strong stag party.
"As such, and in line with a zero tolerance policy with any form of on-board behaviour that might in any way compromise the safe operation of any flight, the captain reported the situation to the police who took the necessary immediate action.
"All 68 passengers were offloaded and those not involved in the incident were accommodated on an alternative flight."
Some passengers later took to social media claiming the incident had been overblown.


Australia has unveiled tough new plans to bar any asylum seekers who try to reach the country by boat from ever being able to enter.

The lifetime ban on visas would apply even to those travelling as tourists, for business, or who married an Australian.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the move would send "the strongest possible signal" to people-smugglers.
The proposed ban is to be put to parliament later this week.
Australia transports asylum seekers who arrive by boat to off-shore processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
Even if found to be genuine refugees, they are already blocked from being resettled in Australia. They can either return home, be resettled on Manus or Nauru, or go to a third country.
The new legislation would apply to all those sent to Nauru and Manus from 19 July 2013, including those who have returned home, and anyone who arrives in the future. Children, however, would be exempt.
"This is a battle of will between the Australian people, represented by its government, and the criminal gangs of people-smugglers," Mr Turnbull said.
"You should not underestimate the scale of the threat. These people-smugglers are the worst criminals imaginable. They have a multibillion-dollar business. We have to be very determined to say no to their criminal plans."
He added: "If they seek to bring people to Australia those passengers will never settle in this country."
The law will directly affect about 3,000 adult refugees being housed on Manus, Nauru or in Australia undergoing medical treatment.
Australia's Labor opposition says it is yet to decide whether to back the new law.
Australia has been repeatedly criticised for its tough policy on refugees and asylum seekers.
Earlier this month, a report by Amnesty International compared its camp on Nauru to an open-air prison.
Mr Turnbull dismissed the report's findings as "absolutely false".
Read more: Australia asylum: Why is it controversial?


Working parents of three and four-year-olds in Wales will get 10 hours extra free childcare a week if Labour wins May's election, the party has said.

It would be funded through UK Labour's pledge to increase the bank levy, which would provide ??40m for Wales.
Shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith said the extra childcare was "the difference between work and welfare" for many.
All three and four-year-olds in Wales are currently entitled to 10 hours per week of early years education.
It is mainly provided in nurseries.
Labour said the Welsh government would consult on how to provide the extra childcare, which would be available where all parents are working.
Launching the general election pledge with a group of young mothers in Cardiff, Mr Smith said: "At a time when resources are tight and families are under pressure it is only right that we do all we can to help families and increase childcare provision."


Liberal Democrat, some Labour and SDLP MPs have told the BBC they are prepared to vote against triggering Article 50.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said his party would oppose it, unless they were promised a second referendum on the UK's Brexit deal with EU leaders.
Several Labour MPs are also willing to vote against it, despite the Labour Party pledging not to do so.
The government says Lib Dem and Labour MPs are "trying to thwart and reverse the referendum result".
With the support of Conservative MPs and the support or abstention of most Labour MPs, the bill is well placed to pass through the Commons.
But the opposition of some MPs is likely to embolden critics in the House of Lords.
The Liberal Democrats have long called for a referendum on the outcome of the government's negotiations with EU, but only now have they said they will definitely vote against Article 50 if their demand is not met.
Mr Farron, whose party has eight MPs in the Commons, told BBC Radio 4's Today: "Article 50 would proceed but only if there is a referendum on the terms of the deal and if the British people are not respected then, yes, that is a red line and we would vote against the government."
For Labour, shadow minister Catherine West, former leadership contender Owen Smith and south London MP Helen Hayes all made clear they were prepared to vote against Article 50 - which begins formal exit negotiations with the EU - if amendments were not accepted.
Former Labour minister David Lammy and shadow transport minister Daniel Zeichner have said they would oppose Article 50. Opposition whip Thangam Debbonaire said she would also vote against it, if a vote were held imminently.
The SNP's 54 MPs may join them. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said they will not vote for anything that undermines the will of the Scottish people, and has previously said they will vote against a bill to write EU provisions into British law to prepare for Brexit.
Dulwich Labour MP Hayes said she was prepared to defy Labour whips to oppose the measure unless the government promised a second referendum.
She said: "I had somebody in my surgery last week who was in tears because of Brexit and I see genuine distress amongst my constituents about what this path means.
"I would not be representing them if I voted to trigger Article 50 on the basis of no information from the government about the path that they would then take us on."
In posts on Twitter and Facebook earlier this week, shadow Foreign Office minister Catherine West wrote: "As I have said before, I stand with the people of Hornsey & Wood Green, and I will vote against Brexit in Parliament."
Owen Smith confirmed to Today that if his bid for a second referendum failed, he was likely to oppose the bill.
The SDLP's three MPs will also oppose the measure.
Ministers said MPs voting against Article 50 would effectively be trying to re-run the referendum in the hope of a "different answer".
"Parliament voted by a margin of six to one to put the decision on whether to remain in or leave the EU in the hands of the British people," said Brexit minister David Jones.
"Only the Conservatives can be trusted to respect the outcome of the referendum and make a success of Brexit."
Last week the High Court ruled Parliament must be consulted about leaving the European Union.
Unless the Supreme Court overturns the judgement in December, a bill to invoke Article 50 is expected in the new year.
Labour made clear its official position would be not to frustrate the process of leaving the EU after a newspaper report said the party leader Jeremy Corbyn intended to force a general election unless ministers caved in to demands.
After the story broke Labour sources said that while it would seek to amend the bill, it would provide "unconditional" support.
Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said Labour would not frustrate the process and would not vote down Article 50.
However, Labour and Liberal Democrat peers will try to amend the bill in the House of Lords. So too will one Conservative peer - Baroness Wheatcroft.


More than 300 police officers have been accused of using their position to sexually exploit people, including victims of crime, a report has said.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary said abuse of authority for sexual gain was now the "most serious" form of corruption facing police in England and Wales.
The watchdog's figures were gathered over two years to the end of March.
The National Police Chiefs' Council described the problem as a "disease".
It acknowledged that more needed to be done to "root it out and inoculate policing for the future".
Chief Constable Stephen Watson, the NPCC's lead for counter-corruption, said: "It is the most serious form of corruption and it can never be justified or condoned."
436
reported allegations of abuse of authority for sexual gain
306 police officers accused
28 Police Community Support Officers and police staff also accused
40% of allegations involved victims of crime
HMIC said its police "legitimacy" inspection was positive overall, with high satisfaction among victims at how they were treated.
The watchdog was asked to investigate the extent of the problem earlier this year, by the then Home Secretary Theresa May.
It found that 306 officers, 20 PCSOs and eight police staff were involved in 436 reported allegations.
The data also showed all but one constabulary had received at least one allegation, and that almost 40% of accusations involved victims of domestic abuse.
Other people who were allegedly exploited were thought to include arrested suspects and people with drug or alcohol problems.
The report also found:
HM Inspector Mike Cunningham, who led the review, said the problem of sexual exploitation could be "more serious" than the reported numbers and forces needed to become "far more proactive in rooting out" such corruption.
Mr Cunningham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Make no mistake about it, the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women is corruption. It is using authority for personal gain, which is a definition of corruption.
"It is the most serious corruption problem in the sense that it is the ultimate betrayal of trust, where the guardian becomes the abuser. That is what we are seeing in these cases, and we're seeing too many.
"The allegations that we collected across the country are not closed allegations, they're not confirmed or finalised allegations but nevertheless they are allegations."
Police officers convicted of sex crimes include:
Mr Cunningham said people such as former Northumbria officer Stephen Mitchell, who is serving two life sentences for serious sexual offences including rape, were clearly predators.
Others, he said, were opportunistic and found themselves in circumstances where they could abuse their power and authority.
Det Supt Ray Marley, of the College of Policing, said the report "highlighted a number of unacceptable cases which have a significant impact on the victims and public confidence".
Home Secretary Amber Rudd described the report as "shocking".
"It undermines justice and public confidence and there is no place in the police for anyone guilty of this sort of abuse," she said.
She said she had met the College of Policing and the NPCC to discuss action needed to tackle the problem.
"The vast majority of police officers do their jobs with integrity and I know they will share my determination to ensure the most vulnerable in our society are given the protection they deserve," she said.
In the wake of the report, IPCC chairwoman Dame Anne Owers has written to chief constables in England and Wales urging them to ensure that all cases involving abuse of authority for sexual gain are referred to the commission.
The report assessed whether officers were seen by the public consistently to behave fairly, ethically and within the law.
Two forces - Derbyshire and Kent - were graded as outstanding, 36 as good, and five - Cleveland, Dyfed-Powys, Gloucestershire, North Wales and South Yorkshire - as requiring improvement. No forces were graded as inadequate.
There are a total of 200,000 police officers and staff in England and Wales.


Hull KR captain Terry Campese will miss the rest of the season after suffering a second serious hamstring injury.

Former Australia international scrum-half Campese ruptured a tendon in the second half of Rovers' 20-18 defeat by Wigan Warriors on 10 June.
The 31-year-old has only made five Super League appearances this season.
"His quality and leadership skills have been clear to see, so we shall certainly miss his influence," head of rugby Jamie Peacock said.
Hull KR are currently ninth in Super League with four games left to play, five points outside the top eight places.


Kirsty Gilmour lost to her old rival Michelle Li in the semi-final of the US Open in Anaheim on Saturday night.

The 23-year-old unseeded Scot was beaten 16-21 21-16 21-15 in 70 minutes by the Canadian sixth seed.
Li has now won all four of their meetings, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medal match.
Gilmour can be heartened by a good run of form in which she has climbed back into the world's top 40 following her lay-off after knee surgery.
She had an early lead against Li and then pulled away from 13-13 to take the opener on her first game point.
But Li responded in the second game, striking at 14-14 with a four-point surge and went on to level the match on her second game point.
It was the first game Gilmour had dropped in the tournament.
In the decider Gilmour recovered from 9-6 down to lead 10-9 before Li won five points in a row on her way to victory.
In the other semi-final Japan's third seed Aya Ohori saved four match points before beating South Korean fifth seed Jang Mi Lee 14-21 28-26 21-19 in 87 minutes.


The European Union has set out measures to try to ease the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean which has claimed hundreds of lives over the past few days alone.

Here, one African migrant, Gassama, describes his long journey from The Gambia through Libya to Europe and how he is now trying to dissuade others from making the hazardous trip.
I made the crossing from Libya to Sicily last November, after several attempts.
I am from The Gambia and had been trying to get to Europe since I left home, originally in 2009.
I travelled through Senegal to Mali and on to Libya, working along the way when I could find jobs and trying to save money for the trip. I worked loading trucks and any other jobs I could get.
Once I eventually got to Libya, it was very hard.
It was difficult to find work there. I was also arrested three times and taken to five different prisons. I had to pay each time to get out of prison.
I also had to pay a few different people to try to get on one of the boats making the crossing to Italy.
The men that run these boats take people's money, and put too many of them into the boats. That's if you can get on to the boats. They take your money anyway.
The first attempt I made to cross on one of these boats from Tripoli failed. After two days in the water, we had to turn back.
After someone I knew helped me to raise the money, I eventually managed to get on another boat after paying 1,200 Libyan dinar ($870, Â£585).
There were far too many people on the boat, and it wasn't safe. After a difficult journey across the Mediterranean, I managed to make it to Sicily.
From there, I eventually ended up in Milan.
It's not easy here, with harassment and other problems, but I am so happy to have got across.
I have since set up a Facebook group to try to educate people who are trying to make the journey through Libya to Europe about just how difficult it is.
I have spoken to many people who have contacted me directly through my Facebook page and have so far got a good response.
I have tried to tell them not to come through Libya as it is too dangerous, and I will continue to do so.
They have every right to try to come to Europe, just like I did, but travelling through Libya is just too hazardous.
It is a desperate situation and has now become too dangerous.
There are people who will try to rob you and take your money just to get you on to these boats, which are overcrowded and not safe.
Interview by Stephen Fottrell.


The search for missing airman Corrie Mckeague is set to be expanded after weeks of looking through landfill failed to find any trace of his body.

Mr Mckeague, 23, has not been seen since a night out in Bury St Edmunds last September, when CCTV showed him entering a bin loading bay.
Police have so far spent nine weeks searching a Cambridge landfill site for any sign of the RAF Honington gunner.
Earlier, it was revealed the search had so far cost more than £1m.
The investigation into Mr Mckeague's disappearance is one of the most expensive undertaken by Suffolk Police, the Cambridge News reported.
On Friday afternoon Suffolk Police said officers searching the landfill had been through all the rubbish from the location and time he disappeared.
"However, towards the edges of the area it has also been noticed that the waste may have naturally shifted from the original deposition area," the force said.
"Police are expanding the search parameters to take this into account."
More news from Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
The airman, from Dunfermline in Fife, vanished after going out with friends from RAF Honington, where he is based.
He was last seen entering a bin loading bay known as the "horseshoe" at about 03:25 BST.
A waste disposal lorry collected a bin from that area less than an hour after Mr Mckeague was spotted on CCTV.
Nine weeks ago specialist officers began sifting through waste at the landfill site in Milton, Cambridgeshire, where they believe his body may be.
So far, Suffolk Police said it had sifted through more than 3,000 tonnes of waste at the 120-acre (48.5 hectare) site.
While officers have yet to find any trace of him, late last month officers said they had started to find rubbish at the site "from the right time period" from when he went missing.
A force spokeswoman confirmed that search costs "above and beyond staffing" were currently running at about £544,250 and taking into account salaries and "specialist resources", the investigation costs exceeded the £1m mark to date.
Police initially estimated the search of the vast landfill site could take 10 weeks.
The spokeswoman was unable to say at this stage whether it could take longer.


The House of Commons has approved plans which could see MPs being "recalled" and subject to a public vote on their future in cases of serious misconduct.

MPs passed a law allowing by-elections to be held in certain circumstances.
They also agreed to reduce the length of time that an MP would have to be suspended from the Commons to trigger a recall process from 21 to 10 days.
Peers will now consider the bill, which has been criticised for giving too much power to politicians.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats pledged to introduce a power of recall in their 2010 coalition agreement but critics have said the government's proposals are a watered-down version of the system used in the US and other countries.
They have warned that responsibility for triggering the recall process will lie with Parliament's Standards Committee, which has a majority of MPs on it, not constituents.
At the moment, MPs who are given a custodial sentence of more than one year have to stand down from Parliament, but those who get a lesser sentence can remain in place.
The bill proposes that a by-election would be triggered if 10% of constituents sign a petition after an MP is found guilty of "serious wrongdoing" by Parliament.
However, efforts to substantially rewrite the bill to give more power to the public were rejected by the Commons last month amid fears it could lead to campaigns by pressure groups and disgruntled constituents unhappy about an MP's stance on divisive issues.
MPs approved the Recall of MPs Bill at third reading, its last Commons stage, on Monday although a number of significant amendments were passed.
Among these, a proposal to reduce the number of sitting days that an MP had to be suspended for before they could be subject to a recall petition has been halved to 10 days after MPs backed the move by 204 votes to 125.
Further powers were also inserted to the bill to trigger a recall process in cases of expenses fraud where an MP was given a non-custodial sentence and in cases where information about historic wrongdoing came to light after an MP was elected.
All three amendments were passed after a free vote in the House of Commons.
Defending the legislation, Cabinet Office minister Sam Gyimah said the coalition had delivered on its manifesto commitment.
"The coalition's programme made a commitment to establish a recall mechanism for MPs who have been found guilty of wrong doing or misconduct," he said,
"The Bill before the House fulfils the coalition commitment to deliver a practical recall mechanism to hold MPs to account when they have done something wrong."
But Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said the legislation was a "sham" which would not enable the public to hold MPs to account while Tory Zac Goldsmith said it was a "disgrace" and accused MPs of not having the "collective proverbials" to reject it.
The bill will now move to the House of Lords for scrutiny although MPs will get another chance to consider any changes made by peers.


Mining, arthritis and X-rays may not be an obvious combination to inspire art, but they have come together for a new show in Salford.

Bedrock is a collection of sculptures, prints and photographs that stem from artist Nicola Dale's discovery of an archive of X-rays in the University of Manchester's medical school.
She says the find, made while working as artist-in-residence at the Arthritis Research UK Centre of Epidemiology (ARCE), instantly piqued her interest "partly because they'd been forgotten and also because they were from local people".
"They were X-rays of miners from the early 1950s, mostly from the Walkden Miners Clinic [in Salford].
"They were old and kind of crumbly - the same thing has happened to the mining industry. So the two things collided in my mind. It was like a little gem, it struck a chord."
She admits the connection is "complicated, but the way I think about it is through the idea of illumination".
"You need light to read the X-rays, the miners needed light to work and there's that flashbulb moment when you get an idea."
The X-rays were the starting point for more than her artwork. They were originally collected by Dr John Lawrence to research the relationship between occupation and arthritis.
That research underpinned the Kellgren and Lawrence classification system for osteoarthritis, which is still used globally today.
Caroline Wallis was one of the people with arthritis who helped Dale understand the condition.
She says she was "intrigued" when she heard about the artist's ideas.
"At first thought, it is an unusual combination, but when you actually think about it, it really isn't after all.
"The miners suffered pain in their joints, albeit from a different cause, and people such as myself with rheumatoid arthritis also suffer with painful joints.
"Both can suffer deformity and disability."
Dale says while she needed to find out more about arthritis, she "didn't know anything at all about mining".
Speaking to miners, they told her "about the gruelling days underground and how they would wait for that moment where they could go out into the light".
"Every miner I spoke to initially said 'why are you interested in this?' But then they thought it was amazing someone was interested in mining and they were desperate to tell their stories.
"I spent five hours in the pub with one of them and he told me everything - about the politics, about his career, about what the other guys were like."
David Mort spent 12 years as a coal miner, mostly at Golborne Colliery near Wigan, and got in touch with the artist after hearing her appeal for help on BBC Radio Manchester.
He says he "just tried to give her as much information about the structure of a mine and, more importantly, the people and camaraderie that was fostered during my time there".
"I didn't give her my opinions on what her work should look like."
Alex Channon, who worked for 25 years at Salford's Agecroft Colliery, also helped Dale.
He says he was "surprised" when she got in touch, but also "delighted that someone from outside the mining industry and community had such an interest".
"The combination of mining and arthritis is interesting and very relevant for many ex-miners who suffer from the condition."
He says he was also pleased about the subject matter because any exhibition about coal mining will "help to keep alive the heritage generally and particularly in the Lancashire area".
Dale says she asked some of the miners to try to imagine what her artworks might look like, which they did with varying degrees of success.
"One said, 'if I made mining into an artwork, it'd be Satan's den'.
"Another guy said he thought of the mine as a pair of lungs and you had to think about how the ventilation worked down there.
"One of the bigger sculptures is based on his idea."
There was one final inspiration that fed into Dale's work - epidemiology.
ARCE director Will Dixon says her "inspirational artwork encapsulates epidemiology" and a "truly wonderful celebration of this important archive".
"Drawing on the strong heritage of arthritis research in Manchester and Salford, it captures the insight derived from populations, as well as highlighting the importance of individuals," he said.
Dale says that description is "very kind" as capturing epidemiology and its "number-crunching" was difficult, but "I do like a challenge".
She wanted her audience to "actually understand what they are, what they look like and the weight of them".
"Basically, with epidemiology, they do all these studies and then turn it into numbers.
"I tried to take these dry, cold numbers and statistics and make them something lovely to look at.
"People might not necessarily know that the works have come from statistics but they have."
Bedrock is at Artwork Atelier on Greengate, Salford, from 21 to 24 January


Millions of adults will be voting in the UK general election today.

Polls opened at 7.00am at around 50,000 polling stations across the country.
What you can and can't do when voting
Some polling stations are in schools, which means a day off for lots of children in the UK.
Community centres, parish halls and a school bus will also be used.
A total of 650 Westminster MPs will be elected, with about 50 million adults registered to vote.
Some votes have already been cast, through postal voting and for the first time people have been able to register to vote online.
Polls close at 10.00pm tonight and you can find out the election result on Newsround tomorrow morning at 7.40am and 8.15am.


Nato has urged Russia to end air strikes "on the Syrian opposition and civilians", days after Moscow began raids to support Syria's government.

Moscow says it is targeting Islamic State and other Islamist positions, but US-led allies and Turkey say government opponents are targeted.
Turkish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after a Russian plane entered Turkey's air space on Saturday.
Russia said the violation was for just a few seconds and due to poor weather.
Saturday's interception took place near Yayladagi in the southern Hatay region, Turkey says. The foreign ministry in Ankara said it had summoned the Russian ambassador to issue a "strong protest".
Turkish jets patrolling the border were also "harassed" by an unidentified plane on Sunday, Turkey said.
A statement by Nato's 28 members, that include Turkey, warned of "the extreme danger of such irresponsible behaviour" and urged Russia "to cease and desist".
US Secretary of State John Kerry said Turkey would have been within its rights to shoot the jets down.
Where key countries stand - Who is backing whom
Why? What? How? - Five things you need to know about Russia's involvement
What can Russia's air force do? - The US-led coalition has failed to destroy IS. Can Russia do any better?
The close ties behind Russia's Syrian intervention - Lina Sinjab on two countries that are the best of friends
Syria's civil war explained - Analysis and background on the conflict
"The Turkish Armed Forces are clearly instructed," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told Turkish TV. "Even if it is a flying bird, it will be intercepted."
But he played down the possibility of a "Turkey-Russia crisis", saying that channels between the two countries remained open.
The Russian air campaign began on Wednesday, with Moscow saying it was targeting IS positions and those of other Islamist groups. Syria said on Monday that the air strikes had been planned for months.
The country's Defence Ministry said 10 targets had been hit during the course of 15 strikes on Monday. Among the targets Russia said it destroyed were:
Mr Putin has denied that civilians have been killed in the past week, but evidence on the ground has indicated otherwise.
Turkey and other members of the US-led coalition in Syria say the principal target is in fact the Syrian opposition groups fighting President Assad.
Nato said Russian air strikes did not target IS positions, but said it should "focus its efforts" on doing so.
Moscow has not responded to Nato's comments. But earlier on Monday, Vladimir Komoyedov, the head of the Russian government's defence committee, said Russia had not ruled out attacking rebel positions using warships.
The RIA Novosti agency quoted him as saying ships were "prepared" but that an imminent assault was unlikely as rebels were too far inland.
Interfax reports (in Russian) that two more Russian military ships are on their way to the eastern Mediterranean.
The Russian incursion into Turkish air space has set alarm bells ringing in Nato with Alliance ambassadors describing it as "irresponsible behaviour".
The US Secretary of State John Kerry has also expressed his concern, noting that this is "precisely the kind of thing" Washington warned about in pressing Russia for talks to avoid mid-air incidents.
Turkish jets shot down a Syrian Mig-fighter in March of last year. Another Syrian aircraft, possibly a helicopter, was shot down last May.
Nato has called on Russia to "take all necessary measures" to ensure that such violations do not take place in the future. American sources claim that, far from being an accident, the Russian pilots knew exactly what they were doing.
As the Russian air campaign moves into a higher gear, this episode illustrates some of the wider dangers involved.


Rangers manager Mark Warburton denies his side are enduring a slump in form, and said their recent goal-scoring record is down to tougher defences.

And the Ibrox boss is amazed the word "crisis" is being used in the media.
"We've played 14, drawn one, lost one - if that's a crisis then there's a crisis in football," said Warburton.
"At the start teams saw how we play, it's quite natural then to put eight, nine, 10 men behind the ball - teams will do what they have to do to win."
He added:  "That's not a criticism, but we have to deal with it and it's tough to break down compact, solid defences of that number of men."
Despite winning their first 10 Scottish Championship matches, their run was broken by Hibernian at the start of this month when they lost 2-1 at Easter Road.
But Warburton played down accusations that their goal-scoring has dried up, and pointed to their goal difference of 31 after 14 games, which he said speaks volumes about the potency of his squad.
"Other teams have gone on a very, very good run of form and teams who dropped points at the start of the season have put a run together," he said.
"All credit to them as it's hard to put a run together at any time in football. So I don't think it's Rangers' form dipping, it's other teams improving.
"If we are 10, 11 or 12 points clear and we lose three games of football, while the other teams win their games, then I would agree (there is a crisis).
Rangers currently sit level with Hibernian on points at the Championship summit, topping the table on goal difference, but have a game in hand over the Edinburgh outfit.
The two meet next at Ibrox on 28 December and, while it is on his radar, Warburton said they will not take their eye off the ball in preparation for that clash.
"I think it's dangerous to do that, and that's the natural outlook I understand that perfectly and everyone will be saying all eyes are on the 28th, but I think we've got to look at the fact that that's a banana skin - you've got to watch games in between.
"There's no point focussing on the game four or five weeks ahead if you drop points in the meantime."
Striker Martyn Waghorn, meanwhile, who has scored 17 goals in Rangers' 14 league fixtures, is not worried about finding the net.
"We've not been as clinical in front of goal or not scored as many goals as we could have, but that's down to other teams sitting in more defensively, holding their shape and making it difficult for us," he said.
"But we've only lost one game and everyone is saying we're going through a slump - that's crazy, but something we've got to deal with.
"It gives us a challenge on a Saturday, how to break teams down and find different ways to score."
Waghorn believes the current pressure is simply part and parcel of playing for Rangers; he too welcomes the competition at the top of the Championship.
"Hibs are level with us now and it's going to be a challenge to see if they can keep up so let's see how it pans out the next weeks," he added.


When Eddie Jones was confirmed as Stuart Lancaster's successor, England were eighth in the world rankings and the team's reputation was in tatters after the devastating group-stage exit from the Rugby World Cup.

Media playback is not supported on this device
There was doubt over the future of Lancaster's assistant coaches Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt, while numerous senior players - including the captain at the time, Chris Robshaw - feared they may have played their last match for their country.
But fewer than seven months later, England have won all eight of their matches in 2016, sealed a first Grand Slam since 2003, claimed a first series win in Australia and leapt from eighth to second in the rankings.
How has Jones transformed England so quickly?
Before a ball was kicked in the Six Nations, Jones made some bold decisions. Farrell, Rowntree and Catt were all deemed surplus to requirements as the Australian established his own backroom team.
He incurred the wrath of Bristol by recruiting their new forwards coach Steve Borthwick, while defence guru Paul Gustard joined from Saracens at the end of January.
Both have been influential, with Borthwick building a formidable England set-piece, and Gustard being the mastermind behind the astonishing defensive effort in the series-clinching second Test match in Melbourne.
Jones took a similar stance with his choice of captain.
Robshaw had led England for 42 Test matches, but Jones quickly decided a change was needed. Wasps lock Joe Launchbury had many backers, but instead Jones opted for experienced hooker Dylan Hartley.
Given Hartley's chequered disciplinary record - he had been dropped from the World Cup squad following a ban for foul play - it was a brave and controversial call. But Hartley has been a revelation in the role, with his approach perfectly in sync with that of Jones.
"I wanted someone who was going to encompass the attitude we want the team to have," Jones told BBC Sport in January. "He is combative and abrasive, and I think he is the sort of guy who can lead England forward."
Jones' choice of Hartley as skipper set the tone for what he wanted from his England side - attitude.
While Lancaster went to lengths not to engage in media mind games or to have his players come across as arrogant, England have now been talking the talk before walking the walk, with Jones and Hartley both bullishly stating England "expected" to win the series in Australia.
Before boarding the plane down under, Jones compared his side's approach to that of the highly-controversial 'Bodyline' Ashes of the 1930s, when England prevailed using tactics so aggressive they were deemed controversial.
So clever has Jones been with his use of the media compared to counterpart Michael Cheika, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen says it has affected the outcome of the series.
"Cheika's not come back, he's letting Eddie have a free rein - to the point where it actually seems like he's letting Eddie bully him in the media," Hansen told the New Zealand media. "That's gone on to the park, hasn't it?"
On the rare occasion he did rise to Jones' bait, Cheika spoke of England's "niggle" between the first and second Tests, suggesting the tourists were using cynical off-the-ball tactics.
"Niggle isn't something we practice," Hartley said in response. "We practice being physical, confrontational. We want to dominate. If that's the way we are being perceived, that's a compliment."
It was instructive that within minutes of sealing the series, the captain and coach were both stressing the need to finish the job and complete a series whitewash in Sydney.
Quite simply, under Jones and Hartley, winning is all that matters.
After being relieved of the captaincy, it would have been easy for Jones to dispense with Robshaw as a player as well, but the Harlequins forward was retained in the Elite Player Squad, with the only change being a positional switch from openside to blindside flanker.
Robshaw has since been in the form of his life in a white shirt, marking his 50th cap with a man-of-the-match display at AAMI Park.
"He was absolutely outstanding. Everyone in the team was so happy he got his 50th cap, and he capped it off with maybe his best game for England," Jones said.
James Haskell is another player to have been given a new lease of life with England this year, while the likes of Billy Vunipola and George Ford have also flourished under Jones' 'carrot and stick' management style.
Bath fly-half Ford has endured a mixed season for club and country, but after being repeatedly backed in public by Jones he played flawlessly in the series-clinching second Test victory.
"To have someone who backs his players and supports his players is brilliant, and you try and repay that with the way you play," Ford told BBC Sport.
"He doesn't only do that, he challenges you in training, he's honest with you in one-to-one meetings, and that's what you want as a player."
By tinkering with his side throughout the Six Nations - and doing likewise with his bench before the second Test - Jones has kept the wider squad engaged and hungry.
Third-choice hooker Jamie George could have, for example, spent three weeks holding tackle bags in Australia; instead he made a telling contribution off the bench in Melbourne.
Jones was the coach of Australia when England won the World Cup in 2003, with Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio spearheading an uncompromising pack of English forwards.
Perhaps influenced by this, Jones has repeatedly stressed the need to build a dominant pack as a basis from which England can develop.
This emphasis on forward play - augmented by the line-out coaching of Borthwick and scrum input from Neil Hatley - saw England outmuscle Australia, with the same pack starting both Test matches as well as the Grand Slam decider against France in Paris.
Of the starting XV that won in Melbourne, 14 featured under Lancaster, showing that Jones has hardly ripped up the script in terms of selection.
He has, however, brought clarity to the gameplan.
England arguably had a more attractive attacking game under Lancaster, but in the final year of his reign confusion over selection and tactics crept in.
Jones has kept it simple, playing a territory-based game by combining a solid set-piece and a strong kicking game aided by the selection of two playmakers - Owen Farrell and George Ford - in midfield.
At the same time, Farrell has cemented his status as the best goal-kicker in world rugby.
"Sometimes in rugby you are better off without the ball," Ford said after the backs-to-the-walls win in Melbourne. "We came into the game with a plan and we stuck to it for the full 80 minutes."
The one man fresh to the set-up - the irrepressible 21-year-old Saracen Maro Itoje - has made a seismic impact.
Lancaster's reasons for leaving Itoje out of the World Cup squad were sound - the player had barely broken into Saracens' first-team - but in hindsight, who is to say he would not have risen to the challenge?
Things have certainly gone England and Jones' way in 2016. While Lancaster suffered some bad luck with injuries during his time in charge, Jones has largely had a fully-fit squad from which to select.
The only significant absentee has been centre Manu Tuilagi, but in his prolonged absence the Ford-Farrell combination has thrived.
Jones has also been helped by the form of England's club sides this year, with double-champions Saracens providing a core of players with a hardened winning mentality. The Vunipola brothers, George Kruis, Itoje and Farrell are unaccustomed to losing rugby matches.
Australian supporters would also argue Jones and his side were on the right side of the officiating in both Test matches.
They may have a point, but how often was this said of Richie McCaw and New Zealand? It's no coincidence the best sides in the world also seem to get the rub of the green.
Jones acknowledges England have a long way to go to rival the All Blacks, but he is unashamed in his plan to make that happen. And according to the former Japan coach, that route to the top starts with a series whitewash in Sydney.
"To be the best in the world you have to be absolutely ruthless," Jones says. "We are not going to be satisfied unless we win 3-0."
Find out how to get into rugby union with our special guide.
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.


Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's barbs against Muslims and immigrants may have offended many, but there are a few people within the same communities now rooting for the billionaire.

Right after his victory in the Nevada caucuses, Mr Trump was quick to flaunt the support he got from some Hispanic voters. Now he can add Hindus for Trump, American Sikhs for Trump and even American Muslims for Trump to his list.
While these groups in no way reflect the thinking of the wider Hindu, Sikh or Muslim community in the US, they are nevertheless making headlines in the diaspora media.
The Hindus for Trump Facebook page, which has 500 "likes", has gone so far as to place the business tycoon on the same pedestal as some of the most revered Hindu gods.
They have come out with a poster where Mr Trump is seen sitting in a yoga posture on a lotus with the "Om" symbolâ€”an uncanny resemblance to the Hindu Gods Brahma and Vishnu.
In Hindu beliefs, Brahma is the creator of the world and Vishnu the protector and restorer of moral order.
A post on the group's Facebook page appeals to "Trump Haters".
"Donald Trump promises to make America Great again. It means more jobs, less warmongering, protected borders, treasury surplus and a better life for LEGAL Americans.  He's going to win and you are on the wrong side of History."
The Hindu American Foundation, a non-profit, says they have received several complaints about the depiction of Mr Trump as a Hindu deity.
"We have tweeted our concerns to this group but haven't heard back from them," says Jay Kansara, director of government relations at the foundation, who notes that they do not endorse any candidate.
It's estimated that there are almost 2.5 million Hindus living in the United States.
Europe hates Trump. Does it matter?
More on the 2016 election
A few New Jersey-based Indian-Americans have launched a political action committee named Indian-Americans For Trump 2016.
One of the group's members, Sudhir Parikh, believes Trump is a "do-er who can negotiate both with Republicans and Democrats".
"He looks unstoppable. Part of our community does support Hillary Clinton, but we have to support the other side too, so that our interests are protected and we have access to the Washington power," says Mr Parikh, who also owns Parikh World Media, which publishes media titles including News India Times and Desi Talk in New York.
Many of those who have migrated to the US from India have traditionally supported Democrats but often it's the candidate and not the party ideology that attracts them.
George W Bush had one of the highest approval ratings amongst Indians because of his strong support for the US-India nuclear deal.
Mr Parikh says his committee does not represent Hindus, but many Hindu organisations have come forward to extend their support. So what's drawing them to Trump?
"Maybe they like what he has said about Muslims but that would be one of the reasons, not the only reason," says Mr Parikh.
Mr Trump has advocated "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on".
The comment drew worldwide criticism, but the group American Muslims for Trump says it was "highly exaggerated and used out of context".
The group's founder, Sajid Tarar, a Pakistani American, says he fully supports Trump's suggestions on finding a strong vetting mechanism for refugees coming from countries like Syria.
"I am an American myself and I believe it should be about (putting) America first," he says. "I am not in favour of anybody coming here and doing things against America."
Similar sentiments are echoed by Jesse Singh, who has founded the group American Sikhs for Trump.
Mr Singh is the chair of the Maryland Governor's Association on South Asian Affairs. He and Mr Tarar hosted a meeting with a Trump campaign representative recently in Maryland.
He came to the United States from India nearly 30 years ago.
"I don't see that America anymore," says Mr Singh. "So when Trump says make America Great again, I fully agree with him,"
He says Trump has never opposed legal migration and has businesses all over the world, including India.
"I think he understands different cultures and different countries better than any other candidate in the race," says Mr Singh.
Both Mr Singh and Mr Tarar realise the larger Sikh and Muslim communities don't agree with their views.
But they hope that if Mr Trump is the Republican nominee, they may warm up to him.


Britain's Johanna Konta was knocked out of the Wuhan Open in the quarter-finals, losing 6-3 6-4 to Czech 14th seed Petra Kvitova in China.

Kvitova, playing the day after her mammoth three-hour victory over Angelique Kerber, put in a dominant performance against a tired Konta.
The defeat keeps Konta 10th in the Race to Singapore, 273 points behind the final qualifying place.
Kvitova faces Romania's fourth seed Simona Halep in the semi-finals.


Actor Michael C Hall is to perform a tribute to David Bowie at this week's Mercury Music Prize ceremony.

The star of TV series Dexter and Six Feet Under, Hall played the lead role in Bowie's musical Lazarus, which premiered shortly before his death.
He will perform the title song, which opens with the line: "Look up here, I'm in heaven", and was widely interpreted as Bowie's personal epitaph.
The song also appears on Bowie's Mercury-nominated Blackstar album.
Other nominees include Laura Mvula, The 1975, Kano and Bat For Lashes.
Radiohead are also shortlisted for their album A Moon Shaped Pool. It is their fifth nomination - but they have yet to win the Â£25,000 prize.
The band, who are on a brief break from their world tour, are not expected to perform at the ceremony, but most of the other acts will appear.
On the night, the 12 nominated albums will be cut down to six finalists, one of whom will be chosen by a public vote.
A panel of judges, including Jarvis Cocker, Annie Mac and Wolf Alice frontwoman Ellie Rowsell, will then choose the overall winner.
The full list of nominees is:
Read more about the nominees
The 2016 Hyundai Mercury Music Prize takes place at the Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday, 15 September.
There will be full coverage on BBC Music News LIVE, and the BBC red button and the ceremony will be broadcast live on BBC Four from 21:00 BST.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.