How would you feel if millions across the globe analysed every single decision you made at work on a 50-inch tablet with the capability to slow it down to the exact point where it all went wrong?

That's what young men in the Premier League have to deal with every week - and a feeling Marvin Sordell knows well.
The striker was heralded as a potential future full England international after hitting double figures two seasons in a row in the Championship as a youngster for Watford, featuring for the England Under-21 side and playing at the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain.
But, with the next Olympics just around the corner, he now finds himself in League One playing for Colchester United.
"The amount of pressure that goes on players, young players especially before they've even had a chance to make a proper impact, is unbelievable," the 24-year-old told BBC Sport.
"Look at [Aston Villa's] Jack Grealish - people are putting a hell of a lot of pressure on him to perform every week. All he wants to do at his age is carry on playing and keep developing. Same as me even now.
"With that pressure on you to do certain things all the time, it can be distracting from your game because it makes you think you have to do things a certain way, rather than do what's natural or being coached."
Sordell first broke into the Watford team in 2009, and after scoring 27 goals for the Hornets made a £3m deadline-day move to the top-flight with Bolton in February 2012.
But he only made three scoreless substitute appearances for Owen Coyle's side that season as they were relegated to the Championship.
"For me as I've been growing up, I've never been the most confident anyway," admitted Sordell. "So to go from playing, getting a move and then straight away not playing makes me think 'what have I done?' or 'am I not good enough?' I start to question myself.
"At the time the manager was saying I was training well. Looking back, it's easy to understand football's like that sometimes - you might not get the chance to play or not be the right fit at that time.
"I think I probably wasn't the player the club needed to sign when they needed to stay up in the Premier League. Maybe I was a player for the future, but that wasn't conversed."
Watford was just a stone's throw away from Sordell's hometown of Harrow, making it easy to wind down from the pressures of football with his close friends and family.
A move up north to Bolton meant living in a hotel before finding an apartment, but he found himself clocking up the miles to go home regularly as he struggled to adjust.
So what did he find the hardest to deal with during a period when his professional life was not going to plan?
"I'd say the exposure," he said. "Playing for England and going up into the Premier League in a big-money move, to me it was just a completely different world.
"The amount of travel that I did as well. Having [family and friends] around you to support you - obviously people are always there on the phone, but it's not the same as popping round to my friend's or going to my girlfriend's or going to have dinner at my mum's if I fancy it. You have to schedule it and get a train down.
"To be honest, I didn't really expect the things that came to me, so for me to say that I was ready to deal with them, that would be a lie really.
"I didn't know what was going to come, how to prepare for these things and I'm not sure how well I dealt with the expectation - but I still tried to carry on enjoying football."
Still, Sordell had an experience that so many young footballers would treasure - playing in a team that included Ryan Giggs, Aaron Ramsey and Daniel Sturridge for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.
"When I was in school I remember going to the event when it was announced we were hosting the Olympics," he said. "I would never have even dreamt I'd be playing at the Olympics.
"At the opening ceremony I met LeBron James. There were famous people walking everywhere - you turn around and see Maria Sharapova and walk on and see a whole team of giants and it's the USA basketball team."
He got another shot at the Premier League in 2014 when he left Bolton for Burnley following the Clarets' promotion in 2014, linking up again with Sean Dyche, whom he played under at Vicarage Road.
But after making just four starts and scoring one goal, Sordell left by mutual consent in September before joining Tony Humes' Colchester side.
His move has coincided with a dramatic rise up the league - having not won a game before he arrived, the U's now sit 16th, and he has four league goals to his name.
"I'm pleased to be getting goals and playing games, but ideally I'd like to be getting more goals and more wins," he said before Saturday's FA Cup victory over Wealdstone, in which he scored.
Maybe some time away from the spotlight is doing him the world of good.


A baby humpback whale that beached in Australia has been returned to the sea.

The week-old mammal was found on Surfers Paradise beach early on Monday, not moving freely.
It had been separated from its mother. Lifeguards and staff from the nearby SeaWorld searched by air and sea but couldn't find the whale's mum.
It took around 50 rescuers to haul the whale back into the water, with the help of two jetskis.
A digger was used to clear a path in the sand, while rescuers poured water over the whale to keep it cool and wet.
Once back in the sea, the calf swam into deeper water, where it's hoped it will be able to find its mum.


A nine-year-old boy is critically ill after coming into contact with a hazardous substance at a west Belfast bonfire site over the weekend.

Police have been clearing the scene at Glenwood Street after drums containing a substance were dumped at the site.
"We are concerned that a number of other young people in the area could have potentially come into contact with this substance," police said.
They said symptoms could take up to 36 hours to become visible.
The symptoms could include redness of the eyes, sore throats, coughing and breathing difficulties.
"I would encourage anyone who has concerns about their children to seek medical advice immediately," Supt Andrea McMullan said.
"Any clothing or skin that may have been exposed should be washed to remove residual chemicals that may be left on them."
The boy is currently in intensive care in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. His age is not known.
Insp Laura Kelly said: "We received a call from a member of the public earlier today, who was concerned that their young son, who is currently receiving treatment in hospital, may have come into contact with some sort of substance at the bonfire site.
"We immediately began an investigation into this incident and are working with our Fire and Rescue Service colleagues and partner agencies to identify the source of these containers and have them safely removed."
Community worker Steven Pollock said asbestos had been dumped at a bonfire site nearby last year.
"We had the same thing last year only a couple of hundred metres from here where they were illegally dumping asbestos," he said.
"People just see it as an opportunity and it's generally not people from the area. They come to our area just specifically to dump their rubbish or whatever it is they want to get rid of."


George Cole, the actor best known for his leading role in the TV's Minder, has died at the age of 90.

Here is his life in pictures:
Minder star George Cole dies at 90
Obituary: George Cole


A man who died in unexplained circumstances in Derby has been named as a former parliamentary candidate.

The body of Robert Lane, 50, was found in a house on Drage Street on Thursday.
Post-mortem tests were inconclusive and a 35-year-old man arrested over the death has been released on police bail.
Mr Lane stood unsuccessfully in the 2015 general election for North East Derbyshire and intended to run for police commissioner but failed to file papers in time.
Police said further tests were being carried out in an effort to determine the cause of death.
Mr Lane taught at secondary schools across the country for more than 20 years and was a freelance writer.


Police investigating a shooting and stabbing in Rugby have arrested a fourth man.

The 29-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and wounding with intent.
Previously, a 30-year-old, 27-year-old and 20-year-old, all from Rugby, were arrested. All four men have been bailed until the end of April.
It follows an incident on Oxford Street on 17 March in which a 17-year-old was shot and an 18-year-old knifed.
More on this and other Warwickshire stories


The guardian of an 18-month-old toddler who was found dead at a house in Birmingham has been charged with murder.

Shi-Anne Downer was found by officers in a property in Beckbury Road on Saturday morning.
Kandyce Downer, 35, from Beckbury Road in the city, has been charged with murder/allowing or causing the death of a child, police said.
Ms Downer will appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
A man, 37, from Stourport in Worcestershire, and another, 34, from Oldbury have been released on bail pending further inquiries and will return for further questioning next month.
Shi-Anne was taken to hospital having suffered a suspected cardiac arrest but was later pronounced dead.
A post-mortem examination was inconclusive and further tests will now be carried out.


Consumers in the UK could save billions of pounds thanks to major changes in the way electricity is made, used and stored, the government has said.

New rules will make it easier for people to generate their own power with solar panels, store it in batteries and sell it to the National Grid.
If they work, consumers will save £17bn to £40bn by 2050, according to the government and energy regulator Ofgem.
The rules are due to come into effect over the next year.
They will reduce costs for someone who allows their washing machine to be turned on by the internet to maximise use of cheap solar power on a sunny afternoon.
And they will even support people who agree to have their freezers switched off for a few minutes to smooth demand at peak times.
They'll also benefit a business that allows its air-conditioning to be turned down briefly to help balance a spell of peak energy demand on the National Grid.
Among the first to gain from the rule changes will be people with solar panels and battery storage. At the moment they are charged tariffs when they import electricity into their home or export it back to the grid.
The government has realised that this rule must change because it deters people from using power more flexibly in a way that will benefit everyone.
Thanks to improvements in digital technology, battery storage and renewables, these innovations in flexibility are already under way with millions of people across the UK generating and storing electricity.
The new rules have been designed to cash in on this.
The government will set up a "battery institute" to fund firms seeking major breakthroughs in battery research and development.
Its critics say it has been slow to support the burgeoning battery industry - and has allowed South Korea, Japan and China to take a lead.
The tiny energy savings of millions of people and firms will be pulled together into packages by traders, who will offer substantial chunks of energy saving to the National Grid at the click of a computer.
So instead of predicting peak demand then building power stations to meet it, energy managers will be able to trade in Negawatts - negative electricity.
In a speech made in Birmingham, Business Secretary Greg Clark outlined further a £246m investment in the UK's industrial strategy, with energy at its heart.
He gave details of a competition for innovation in battery technology, which he says will help make the UK a world leader in battery design and manufacture.
Nicola Shaw, executive director of National Grid, previously told BBC News that between 30% and 50% of fluctuations on the grid could be smoothed by households and businesses adjusting their demand at peak times.
"We are at a moment of real change in the energy industry," she said.
"From an historic perspective, we created energy in big generating organisations that sent power to houses and their businesses.
"Now we are producing energy in those places - mostly with solar power."
An Ofgem source told BBC News the current rules on trading energy are not fit for the digital age because they often discourage people using energy flexibly.
The rules were made before the digital revolution and before the boom in variable renewable energy.
Industry figures talk about the seismic change that's sweeping them along.
At a recent UK conference, energy managers were asked which of them could foresee the shape of the industry in a decade; only half a dozen people raised their hands.
Some will urge a degree of caution amongst the enthusiasm: the more the energy industry embraces the digital age, the more vulnerable it will be to hacking.
Recent reports suggest that Russian hackers may already have tried to compromise the system.
Ofgem says the new rules will put measures in place to combat interference.
Follow Roger on Twitter @rharrabin


Six banks have been collectively fined £2.6bn by UK and US regulators over their traders' attempted manipulation of foreign exchange rates.

HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Swiss bank UBS and US banks JP Morgan Chase, Citibank and Bank of America have all been fined.
A separate probe into Barclays is continuing.
The fines were issued by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and two US regulators.
The country's Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued fines of $1.4bn to five banks, while the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) added $950m in further fines to three lenders.
Separately, the Swiss regulator, FINMA, has penalised UBS 134m Swiss francs.
Barclays, which had been expected to announce a similar deal to the other banks, said it would not be settling at this time.
"After discussions with other regulators and authorities, we have concluded that it is in the interests of the company to seek a more general coordinated settlement," it said in a statement.
FCA boss Martin Wheatley told the BBC: "This isn't the end of the story."
"The individuals themselves will face the consequences," he said.
Several senior traders at the banks have already been put on leave and the Serious Fraud Office is in the process of preparing potential criminal charges against those alleged to have masterminded the scheme.
The fines follow a 13-month investigation by regulators into claims that the foreign exchange market - in which banks and other financial firms buy and sell currencies between one another - was being rigged.
The massive market, in which $5.3 trillion worth of currencies are traded daily, dwarfs the stock and bond markets.
About 40% of the world's dealing is estimated to go through trading rooms in London.
There is no physical forex marketplace and nearly all trading takes place on electronic systems operated by the big banks and other providers.
Daily "spot benchmarks" known as "fixes" are used by a wide range of financial and non-financial firms to, for example help value assets or manage currency risk.
The FCA fined the five banks a total of £1.1bn, the largest fine imposed by it or its predecessor, the Financial Services Authority.
"At the heart of today's action is our finding that the failings at these banks undermine confidence in the UK financial system and put its integrity at risk," the FCA said.
The US regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has fined the same banks a total of more than $1.4bn (£900m).
"The setting of a benchmark rate is not simply another opportunity for banks to earn a profit. Countless individuals and companies around the world rely on these rates to settle financial contracts," said the CFTC's director of enforcement Aitan Goelman.
Another US regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), fined Citibank, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America a further $950m (£600m).
All three regulators found the attempted manipulation of the foreign exchange market had been going on for several years, with the FCA saying the failings occurred between 1 January 2008 and 15 October 2013. The CFTC said its investigation found the traders' misconduct took place between 2009 and 2012.
They found certain foreign exchange traders at the banks had coordinated their trading with one another to attempt to manipulate benchmark foreign exchange rates.
The CFTC said traders had used private online chat rooms to communicate. They had disclosed confidential customer order information and trading positions, and altered their positions accordingly to "benefit the interests of the collective group".
The FCA said the "tight knit groups" formed by traders at the different banks had described themselves as "the 3 musketeers", "the A-team" and "1 team, 1 dream".
It said traders had attempted to manipulate the relevant currency rate in the market, for example to ensure that the rate at which the bank had agreed to sell a particular currency to its clients was higher than the average rate it had bought the currency. "If successful, the bank would profit," the FCA added.
Bank R Trader: 4:00:35 pm: well done gents
Bank W Trader 1: 4:01:56 pm: hooray nice team work
Bank U Trader: 4:02:22 pm: nice one mate
Another example:
Bank V Trader: 4:00:51 pm: have that my son
Bank V Trader: 4:00:52 pm: hahga
Bank V Trader: 4:00:56 pm: v nice mate
Bank U Trader: 4:04:53 pm: that worked nice mate
Bank V Trader: 4:05:44 p.m.: big time mate.
CFTC's examples of misconduct in private chat rooms
How the forex scandal happened
Forex scandal: How to rig the market
The banks all issued statements following the fines:
Chancellor George Osborne said the fines "would be used for the wider public good".
"Today we take tough action to clean up corruption by a few so that we have a financial system that works for everyone. It's part of a long-term plan that is fixing what went wrong in Britain's banks and our economy," he added.
However, Professor Mark Taylor, a former foreign exchange trader and now dean at Warwick Business School, said the fines were "relatively small beer for banks that regularly report billions of dollars in annual profit".
"The interesting thing is that there are no individuals named as yet, and no individual  prosecutions. This is still a possibility and it will be interesting to see how that pans out. At the moment, it's really only the shareholders - which in the case of RBS means British taxpayers - who suffer from these fines," he added.
For the opposition, shadow chancellor Ed Balls described the affair as "yet another shocking scandal involving the banks and underlines the need for fundamental reform and cultural change".
"This report shows that reform of our banks has a long way to go. We need reforms to pay and bonuses, with more transparency, greater clawback and a tax on bank bonuses," he added.
Separately, the Bank of England - which had been accused of knowing about the foreign exchange scandal, but doing nothing about it - published a separate report by Lord Grabiner, clearing its officials.
"There was no evidence that any Bank of England official was involved in any unlawful or improper behaviour in the FX [foreign exchange] market," it said.
It said the suspension of the Bank's chief dealer in March, and his subsequent dismissal on 11 November was unrelated to the foreign exchange scandal.
"The individual's dismissal was as a result of information that came to light during the course of the Bank's initial internal review into allegations relating to the FX market and Bank staff. This information related to the Bank's internal policies, not to FX," a Bank spokesperson said.


Early in 1962, a young MIT student was on his way home in the nearby town of Lowell, Massachusetts.

As Peter Samson stepped off the train and gazed up at the stars above, a meteor streaked across the heavens. Mr Samson reflexively grabbed for a game controller that wasn't there, and scanned the skies, wondering where his spaceship had gone.
Mr Samson's brain had grown out of the habit of looking at the real stars. He was spending way too much time playing Spacewar!
His near hallucination was the precursor of countless digital fever dreams to come - that experience of drifting off to sleep dreaming of Pac Man, or rotating Tetris blocks, or bagging a rare Pokemon Jigglypuff.
In 1962, that ability of a computer to yank our Pavlovian reflexes and haunt our sleep would have been unimaginable to anyone but Peter Samson and a few of his hacker friends.
They were avid players of Spacewar!, the first video game that mattered - the one that opened the door to a social craze, a massive industry, and shaped our economy in more profound ways than we realise.
50 Things That Made the Modern Economy highlights the inventions, ideas and innovations that helped create the economic world.
It is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen online or subscribe to the programme podcast.
Before Spacewar!, computers were intimidating, vast and expensive: large grey cabinets in purpose-built rooms, closed off to all but the highly trained.
Computing was what banks and corporations and the military did.
But at the beginning of the 1960s, at MIT, new computers were being installed in a more relaxed environment.
They didn't have their own rooms but were part of the laboratory furniture.
Students were allowed to mess around with them.
The term "hacker" was born, meaning not the modern malevolent cracker of security systems, but someone who would experiment, cut corners and produce strange effects.
At the same time, MIT ordered a new kind of computer: the PDP-1.
It was compact - the size of a large fridge - and relatively easy to use. It was powerful. And it communicated not through a printer, but through a high precision cathode ray tube - a video display.
When a young researcher called Steve "Slug" Russell heard about the PDP-1, he and his friends began plotting the best way to show off its capabilities.
They had been reading a lot of science fiction and dreaming of a proper Hollywood space opera.
But Star Wars was two decades away, so they plumped for the best possible alternative: Spacewar! - a two-player video game that pitted spaceship captains against each other in a photon-torpedo-powered duel to the death.
There were two spaceships - just a few pixels outlining the ships - and the players could spin, thrust, or fire torpedoes.
Other enthusiasts soon joined in, making the game smoother and faster, adding a star with a realistic gravitational pull, and cobbling together special controllers from plywood, electrical toggles, and bakelite. They were hackers, after all.
In one way, the economic legacy of Spacewar! is obvious.
As computers became cheap enough to install in arcades, and then in the home, the games industry blossomed.
One of the early hits, Asteroids, owed a clear debt to Spacewar! - with the realistic-seeming physics of a spaceship that rotated and thrusted in a zero-gravity environment.
Computer games now rival the film industry for revenue. They're becoming culturally important, too. Lego's Minecraft tie-in jostles for popularity with the company's Star Wars and Marvel sets.
But beyond the money that we spend on them, games affect the economy in a couple of ways.
First, virtual worlds can create real jobs.
One of the first people to make this case was an economist named Edward Castronova.
In 2001, Mr Castronova calculated the gross national product per capita of an online world called Norrath - the setting for an online role-playing game, EverQuest.
Norrath wasn't particularly populous - about 60,000 people would be logged in at a time, performing mundane tasks to accumulate treasure they could use to buy enjoyable capabilities for their characters.
Except, some players were impatient.
They bought virtual treasure from other players, on sites such as eBay, for real money, which meant other players could earn real money for doing mundane work in Norrath.
The wage, reckoned Mr Castronova, was about $3.50 (Â£2.70) an hour - not much for a Californian but an excellent rate if you happened to live in Nairobi.
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Before long, "virtual sweatshops" sprang up from China to India, where teenagers ground away on the tedious parts of certain games, acquiring digital short-cuts to sell to more prosperous players who wanted to get straight to the good stuff.
And it still happens: some people are making tens of thousands of dollars a month on auction sites in Japan, just selling virtual game characters.
For most people, though, virtual worlds aren't a place to earn money, but to enjoy spending time.
Even as Mr Castronova was writing about tiny Norrath, 1.5 million South Koreans were playing in the virtual world of the game Lineage.
Then came FarmVille on Facebook, blurring a game with a social network, mobile games such as Angry Birds or Candy Crush Saga, and augmented reality games such as Pokemon Go.
By 2011, the game scholar Jane McGonigal estimated that more than half a billion people worldwide were spending serious amounts of time - almost two hours a day, on average - playing computer games. A billion or two is within easy reach.
And that brings us to the final economic impact. How many of those people are choosing virtual fun over boring work for real money?
A decade ago, I saw Edward Castronova speak in front of a learned audience of scientists and policy wonks in Washington DC. "You guys are already winning in the game of real life," he told us. "But not everyone can."
And if your choice is a Starbucks server or a star-ship captain - what, really, is so crazy about deciding to take command in an imaginary world?
Mr Castronova may have been on to something.
In 2016, four economists presented research into a puzzling fact about the US labour market: the economy was growing strongly, unemployment rates were low, and yet a surprisingly large number of able-bodied young men were either working part-time or not working at all.
More puzzling still, while most studies of unemployment find that it makes people thoroughly miserable, against expectations the happiness of these young men was rising.
The researchers concluded that these men were living at home, sponging off their parents, and playing videogames.
These young men were deciding they didn't want to be a Starbucks server. Being a spaceship captain was far more appealing.
Tim Harford writes the Financial Times's Undercover Economist column. 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy is broadcast on the BBC World Service. You can find more information about the programme's sources and listen online or subscribe to the programme podcast.


Leicester City have signed Hull City defender Harry Maguire in a £17m deal.

The 24-year-old has agreed a five-year deal and will link up with his new team-mates in early July before their pre-season training camp in Austria.
Maguire told the Foxes' website: "There were a number of clubs interested, but when I met the manager here, he pretty much swayed it into the direction of this club.
"Leicester are on the up and it looks very promising for the future."
BBC Radio Humberside understands the deal comprises an initial £12m fee with add-ons.
Maguire's former club Sheffield United will also profit as they agreed a sell-on clause with Hull in 2014 - thought to be 10% of any fee over the £3m they received for the defender from the Tigers.
BBC Radio Leicester's Ian Stringer:
The Foxes are in urgent need of reinforcements in the heart of their defence. Captain Wes Morgan and Robert Huth have been brilliant, clearly playing through pain at times, but they need support.
Maguire ticks plenty of boxes. He has Premier League experience, plays plenty of games and does not seem to suffer injury too regularly.
It's a big summer for new boss Craig Shakespeare and this seems a very sensible start.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


Kilmarnock face a goalkeeping crisis ahead of Wednesday's League Cup tie against Hearts.

Manager Gary Locke is in England trying to secure the services of a keeper as they wait on the results of a scan on Jamie MacDonald, who was injured in Saturday's 2-1 win over St Johnstone.
Both Conor Brennan and Oliver Davies are unavailable.
"It's a huge worry for us at the minute," said Locke. "His (MacDonald) ankle is badly swollen."
MacDonald was replaced on Saturday by Brennan but he is cup-tied, having played for Stranraer in a previous round.
Loanee Davies is injured leaving Locke desperately short of options.
Kilmarnock loaned teenager Devlin Mackay to Derby County on transfer deadline day and the terms of the cross-border switch mean he cannot be recalled.
"We had an injury to Oliver Davies who was the back-up keeper, so he's had to go back to Swansea which is a bit of a disaster for us to be fair," Locke told the Kilmarnock website.
"We're trying to work on one or two things at the moment because Devlin's down at Derby and we're not allowed to call him back.
"It's a big problem at the minute, a big headache for myself, so we're trying to get something sorted before Wednesday."


Ten men who revealed the identity of the woman involved in footballer Ched Evans' rape trial have been cautioned.

The Chesterfield striker was cleared of rape at a retrial in 2016. He had been charged with attacking the woman in a hotel room in Rhyl, Denbighshire.
Following the retrial, North Wales Police investigated after the woman's name was revealed on social media.
Anyone who reports being a victim of a sex offence is guaranteed lifelong anonymity.
North Wales Police's temporary Supt Jason Devonport said the publishing of her name was a "serious" offence.
The men, aged between 16 and 23, were from the Sheffield, Derbyshire and Birmingham areas.
All were cautioned after admitting publishing the name of the woman - who has lifelong anonymity under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 - after the retrial verdict.
Supt Devonport said: "This type of offence is fortunately rare, however, I'd like to emphasise all police forces take offences of this nature very seriously.
"We will vigorously pursue and prosecute those who don't respect victims' anonymity."
In November 2012 - following the initial trial - nine people were made to pay compensation to the woman after they admitted naming her on Twitter and Facebook.
Mr Evans, 28, was originally found guilty of rape at Caernarfon Crown Court in 2012, but that conviction was quashed in April 2016. A retrial jury found him not guilty of the offence six months later.
The Chesterfield striker had been charged with attacking her at a hotel on 30 May 2011.
He was found not guilty of the same charge, after a retrial at Cardiff Crown Court, in October 2016.
Mr Evans' former club Sheffield United announced this week it was to re-sign him.


It all began with the case of the missing pastor.

On the morning of 13 February, Raymond Koh was exiting a highway in the leafy suburb of Kelana Jaya just outside of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.
A  widely circulated CCTV clip appears to show what happened next. A convoy of black SUVs and motorcycles is seen swooping down on his car and boxing it in by the side of the road.
Then, several men jump out and run to Mr Koh. There is a flurry of activity, and the convoy moves off - along with his car. It is allegedly the last time anyone sees him.
At first, it appeared to be an isolated case of a possible kidnapping.
But as the weeks wore on, more reports of missing Malaysians began to surface.
Many now believe these incidents are connected in what some call an "unprecedented" spate of disappearances, which has mystified the country and raised fears of religious vigilantism.
Mr Koh's apparent abduction - an episode that takes place in just under a minute - took place in broad daylight and was witnessed by other drivers who later lodged police reports. Police are investigating the clip.
"The operation was very well planned. They knew who he was, where he was going, and probably had been tracking him," Mr Koh's son Jonathan tells the BBC.
"It was very professionally executed."
Abductions are not unheard of in Malaysia, but kidnappers usually make contact quickly with victims' families for a ransom.
Two months on, however, Mr Koh's family has not heard a single word from him or his alleged abductors.
They believe it is no ordinary kidnapping, and that "religious elements" took the pastor in an act of "vigilantism or terrorism".
Mr Koh runs a non-government organisation called Harapan Komuniti (Hope Community) in Kuala Lumpur, which helps the poor, single mothers, and drug addicts.
"He's passionate, he loves people, he loves God," says the younger Mr Koh.
In 2011, Raymond Koh's organisation was investigated by Malaysia's Islamic authorities.
His group was accused of attempting to convert Muslims when they hosted a party with Muslim attendees at a church. Apostasy is an offence in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
The allegations were later dropped. But he remained a target of online rumours and even received two bullets in the post shortly afterwards, his family claims.
Such accusations have resurfaced with Mr Koh's disappearance.
Last week, it emerged that several people had lodged a police report against Mr Koh, alleging that he tried to convert Muslim youths to Christianity in January.
"He would never ask anyone to leave Islam," says his son, Jonathan Koh.
"His alleged proselytism is not an excuse for kidnapping. If he did anything wrong, he should have the right as any citizen to trial."
Malaysian police have given few updates, other than they were pursuing three angles: that Mr Koh had "personal issues", extremist groups were involved, or that he was kidnapped for ransom.
They did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.
Amid the media blitz over Mr Koh's disappearance and the video clip, stories about other missing Malaysians began to emerge.
All of these cases were recent disappearances and many remain unexplained.
Peter Chong: Social activist and former city councillor who disappeared last weekend near Kuala Lumpur. Police have since said he was seen crossing the border into Thailand.
Joshua and Ruth Hilmy: Pastor and his wife who were last seen near Kuala Lumpur in November.
Amri Che Mat: Muslim social activist allegedly snatched from his car in November, in the northern state of Perlis. His wife has denied allegations that he was spreading Shia Islam, which is banned by religious authorities.
There is no evidence these are in any way linked but in the absence of concrete information, many have come up with their own theories - including that the authorities may have had a hand in all this.
The "unprecedented mysterious" vanishings has led to "public perception and speculation... of forced disappearances", says the Malaysian Bar, using a term which usually refers to state-sponsored abductions.
"It is shocking and outrageous that a growing number of Malaysians could inexplicably disappear and not be found for days, weeks and months."
The police has not taken kindly to such rumours. Last month, the country's top police officer told citizens to "please shut up", and on Wednesday he  told reporters there "was no connection".
Others have taken up the Kohs' theory and believe religious vigilante groups may be responsible.
Malaysian Muslims practise a moderate version of Sunni Islam, but in recent years the country has seen the rise of vocal Islamist groups.
Authorities have arrested dozens of suspected extremists, and last year the country saw its first attack by the so-called Islamic State.
Against this backdrop, the disappearances have unnerved many. The Malaysian Bar also says they raised "alarming doubts" about the country's security.
Mr Koh's disappearance in particular has sent a "worrying signal" to Christians, says Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia.
"It's a question on our minds, and some churches are worried it may be a trend... where those involved in activities related to the poor [are targeted by] vigilante groups," he tells the BBC.
Meanwhile, the families of the missing Malaysians can only hope and wait.
The Kohs have offered a reward for information, made repeated public appeals, and held vigils. Last week, senior Christian leaders and various heads of churches held a prayer service for Raymond Koh.
"We have been very stressed, it's been very frustrating," says Jonathan Koh.
"But we are working on leads. I still think he's alive."


Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal found a unique cooking analogy to explain the difficulty of replacing injured players.

Wednesday's Championship campaign has been disrupted by the loss of key players in recent months.
"When we lose players who link the game at the same time, we miss something in the team," said the 51-year-old.
"You can't cook well if you don't have fish, and you eat potatoes, it's completely different."
A run of one win in seven matches, including a 1-1 draw with Barnsley on Saturday, has seen the Owls side drop out of the Championship play-off places.
"People ask me why we have changed a little the style of last season," added Carvalhal, who has been in charge at Hillsborough since the summer of 2015.
He told BBC Radio Sheffield: "When we look to the team [who lost the play-off final to Hull City in May 2016], we have been a long time without Tom Lees, Ross Wallace, Kieran Lee, Sam Hutchinson, Fernando Forestieri and Gary Hooper.
"These are players that connect things, and we need these specific points to play the football we like and the fans like.
"If we will cook something, you buy good tomatoes, good potatoes, and good rice, but if don't have the fish, you eat more potato.
"A potato cannot play the role of fish."
Media playback is not supported on this device
"When seagulls follow the trawler it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea." Eric Cantona, after winning his appeal against a two-week prison sentence for kicking an abusive spectator.
"Shall I grab you by your hair? What is your reaction when I grab your hair? Only with sex masochism it is allowed, but not in other situations." Louis van Gaal, complaining about Robert Huth's treatment of Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini.
"Paul Furlong is my vintage Rolls Royce and he cost me nothing. We polish him, look after him, and I have him fine-tuned by my mechanics. We take good care of him because we have to drive him every day, not just save him for weddings." Ian Holloway, on his veteran striker during his first spell as QPR manager.


A motorcyclist caught speeding at 160mph (256km/h) has been banned from driving for a year.

Simon Anthony's BMW bike was seen going "horrendously fast" on the A47 at Thorney, Cambridgeshire, at about 17:20 BST on 14 August, police said.
Officers said the speed - more than twice the national limit - was "one of the highest" they had ever recorded.
Anthony, 57, of Orchard Mews, Woodston, will also have to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay Â£400 costs.
The full-time technical operator admitted speeding in December. The limit along the stretch is 70mph (112km/h).
At Cambridge Crown Court, Judge Gareth Hawkesworth heard there had been few vehicles on the road at the time, it had been a bright day and the ground was dry.
"Driving a motorcycle at 160mph even with dry conditions and in broad daylight, is extremely dangerous," he told him, "not least to you."
He also ordered Anthony to retake his driving test when the ban expires.
More news from Cambridgeshire
Anthony was clocked on a laser device by officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire road policing unit, as they sat in a lay-by off the dual carriageway.
PC Dave Black said at the time: "My immediate thought was, this is going very fast.
"But when I saw 160mph on the laser, I was shocked. He's certainly the fastest person I've ever stopped."
192mph
Shaun Davis filmed himself while speeding in Northamptonshire
157mph Jason Barnard was speeding in his BMW 5 Series on the A46 in Lincolnshire
154mph The speed Seat driver Louie Howlett was caught at in Suffolk
He wrote on Twitter that "this was not a racetrack".
The speed had put both Anthony and the lives of other road users in danger, he said.
A spokesperson for the Probation Service told the court Anthony "took a chance" and was "concentrating on the road and not on the speed he was doing".
The court also heard that Anthony has since sold the motorcycle.


Britain's Jo Muir and Myles Pillage claimed the first World Cup medals of their career with silver in the mixed relay in Cairo.

The pair, based in Bath, led after the swimming but slipped down to third after the fencing ranking round.
Muir, 22, and Pillage, 19, topped the riding standings to move back up to second ahead of the closing laser-run.
They held their position to hold off the challenge of Hungary and claim silver behind Belarus.
Find out how to get into modern pentathlon with our special guide.


Greg Stewart grabbed a double as Dundee eased to victory over Forfar Athletic, with both teams failing to make the next round of the league cup.

Paul McGowan and Michael Duffy fired the Dens Park side ahead before Stewart grabbed his first on the rebound.
Julen Etxabeguren made it 4-0 before Stewart fired his second - his sixth in three games.
Headers from Rory Loy and Yordi Teijsse capped a chastening day for the League Two visitors.
Stewart, who has been the subject of sustained speculation about his future, floated a ball through to McGowan who made a terrific run through the heart of the Forfar defence to clip the ball over the advancing Grant Adam.
Number two for the home side was a thing of beauty and came just after the half-hour mark.
On-loan Celtic striker Duffy decided to have a crack at goal from fully 35 yards and the ball thundered into the net off the underside of the crossbar. A magnificent strike by Duffy as the home fans come to terms with the departure of Kane Hemmings to Oxford United.
Another debutant for Dundee, Dutch striker Yordi Teijsse, also looked sharp and an acrobatic overhead kick was saved by Grant Adam in the Forfar goal low to his left hand post.
The game was over as a contest before the break when Stewart notched Dundee's third.
A header by Teijsse was blocked by Adam but Stewart was first to react and knock the ball home underneath the legs of the keeper.
The home side continued their pressure on the Forfar goal in the second half and goal number four came after 55 minutes.
Darren O'Dea knocked a header towards goal that was blocked by Adam but Extebeguren was there to tap the rebound into the empty net.
And the crowd were on their feet applauding when Stewart thundered the ball beyond Adam from fully twenty five yards out. A stunning goal.
The sixth goal duly came when a Cammy Smith cross was met by the head of substitute Rory Loy to nod the ball into the corner.
With two minutes left the scoring was complete when Teijsse completed a move he began in his own half, his header from close range wrapping up a comprehensive victory for Paul Hartley's side.
Match ends, Dundee 7, Forfar Athletic 0.
Second Half ends, Dundee 7, Forfar Athletic 0.
Goal!  Dundee 7, Forfar Athletic 0. Yordi Teijsse (Dundee) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Craig Wighton.
Attempt saved. Darren O'Dea (Dundee) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Stuart Malcolm.
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Murray MacKintosh.
Attempt missed. Craig Wighton (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Cameron Kerr (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Matthew Aitken (Forfar Athletic).
Attempt missed. Lewis Milne (Forfar Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Thomas O'Brien (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rory Loy (Dundee).
Substitution, Dundee. Jesse Curran replaces James Vincent.
Attempt missed. Yordi Teijsse (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Kevin Holt (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Goal!  Dundee 6, Forfar Athletic 0. Rory Loy (Dundee) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Cameron Kerr.
Attempt saved. Rory Loy (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Greg Stewart (Dundee) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution, Forfar Athletic. Martyn Fotheringham replaces Gavin Swankie.
Goal!  Dundee 5, Forfar Athletic 0. Greg Stewart (Dundee) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Kevin Holt.
Attempt missed. Thomas O'Brien (Forfar Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Substitution, Forfar Athletic. Matthew Aitken replaces Josh Peters.
Substitution, Forfar Athletic. Lewis Milne replaces Danny Denholm.
Substitution, Dundee. Craig Wighton replaces Danny Williams.
Substitution, Dundee. Rory Loy replaces Michael Duffy.
Attempt missed. Yordi Teijsse (Dundee) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Attempt missed. Gavin Swankie (Forfar Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Attempt missed. Danny Denholm (Forfar Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
Corner,  Forfar Athletic. Conceded by Michael Duffy.
Foul by Greg Stewart (Dundee).
Danny Denholm (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal!  Dundee 4, Forfar Athletic 0. Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal following a corner.
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Stuart Malcolm.
Attempt missed. Danny Williams (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left.
Cameron Kerr (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie Bain (Forfar Athletic).
Attempt missed. Paul McGowan (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Stuart Malcolm.
Cameron Kerr (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by David Cox (Forfar Athletic).


Joe Root says England are yet to play to their full potential as the side prepares for a "must-win" game against Sri Lanka at the World Twenty20.

After losing to the West Indies in their opening match, England chased 230 to beat South Africa and recovered from 57-6 to defeat Afghanistan.
"We have a point to prove after the last game," said right-hander Root.
"We've obviously not performed at our best yet which in a way is exciting because we know that's still to come."
Victory against Sri Lanka in Delhi would secure England's place in the World Twenty20 semi-finals for just the second time since its inception in 2007.
Defeat would enable either Sri Lanka or South Africa - who face each other in the group's final match on Monday - to finish second in Group 1 and join West Indies in the last four.
Root added: "It's a must-win game on Saturday. We can win a game with ball and bat but we need to put them both together consistently. Then we can go all the way in this competition."
James Vince replaced the injured Alex Hales and was the first to fall as England lost five wickets for 15 runs against Afghanistan on Wednesday, but Hales could return to play in Delhi on Saturday.
"Alex Hales is improving with his back and he's feeling more comfortable. He had a training session today (Friday) but we will have to see how he is tomorrow (Saturday) when he gets up," said Root.
Defending champions Sri Lanka have not played since Sunday when they where defeated by the West Indies, and have had one fewer match than England. In their opening game they recovered from a poor start to beat Afghanistan.
"It was a really good break. We discussed what went wrong in the two games. We need to execute our plans and the guys are looking forward to the match,"  said wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.
"We are struggling with our batting, especially the middle order, but we are working hard in practice and looking forward to do well."
Ex-England spinner Vic Marks on Test Match Special:
"England haven't put together the perfect match yet. England did beat Sri Lanka in the last T20, the only team to do so when they won it.
"That was the match where Alex Hales smashed them for 99. England will want him to be fit to play.
"Sri Lanka are not as fearsome as they were because they have lost key players, but they still have quality spinners."


US telecoms giant AT&T has announced that it will buy entertainment group Time Warner for nearly $86bn (£70bn).

The deal - one of the biggest this year - still needs approval from regulators.
If the takeover goes through, it would combine AT&T's distribution network with content from the Warner Brothers film studios and the cable TV channels HBO and CNN.
AT&T's chairman described it as "a perfect match" but critics say it concentrates too much media power.
The deal is likely to be closely scrutinised by US antitrust regulators. AT&T is already the third largest cable TV provider in the US.
Randall Stephenson, who is both chairman and chief executive of AT&T, said he did not anticipate any regulatory obstacles, saying any concerns could be overcome if concessions were made.
"This is a perfect match of two companies with complementary strengths who can bring a fresh approach to how the media and communications industry works for customers, content creators, distributors and advertisers," he said.
Analysis: Joe Lynam, BBC correspondent
AT&T has the means by which millions of Americans consume their entertainment.  It owns the platform - be that cable or broadband - which enables people to watch their favourite shows. But it does not - until now- own the shows or the "content" which households want to watch, be that Game of Thrones, CNN or live NBA basketball.
Buying Time Warner, which we should not confuse with Time Warner Cable, allows AT&T to become a full service media provider and one of the more important companies in the world.
It allows a newly-merged entity to steal a march on the likes of Verizon or Comcast in a very competitive US market.
But the deal may never happen.  It could be deemed anti-competitive by regulators because AT&T already owns mobile phone, broadband and cable TV networks, and allowing it to control the shows as well might deprive consumers of choice.
An AT&T statement said that aim of the deal was to give customers "unmatched choice, quality, value and experiences that will define the future of media and communications" and the new company would "lead the next wave of innovation in converging media and communications industry".
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said if he is elected, he will block the deal.
"It's too much concentration of power in the hands of too few," he said on Saturday, before the deal was confirmed.
AT&T will pay $107.50 for each Time Warner share, in a combination of cash and stock, worth $85.4bn overall, according to a statement.
AT&T said it expected the deal to be completed by the end of 2017.
Other media company shares, including Discovery, AMC, Netflix and CBS, recently rose as investors speculated that a deal could spark a fresh wave of takeovers and mergers among media and technology companies.
AT&T, which has a market value of about $238bn, has already made moves to turn itself into a media powerhouse, buying satellite TV provider DirecTV last year for $48.5bn.
Time Warner chief executive Jeff Bewkes has, however, resisted selling in the past. The company rejected an $80bn offer from Twenty-First Century Fox Inc in 2014.
The deal gives AT&T access to a major producer of content as it seeks to diversify away from its core telecoms business. Rival Verizon is currently in negotiations to buy Yahoo and has already bought AOL, owner of Huffington Post.
Some analysts, however, question whether AT&T needs to mount a complete takeover of Time Warner.


Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler have been told they must pay back up to €30m (£22m) in taxes after European tax breaks were ruled illegal.

Sweetheart deals Starbucks had with the Netherlands and Fiat had with Luxembourg were state aid, European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.
But the two countries disagreed with the Commission.
And Starbucks said it would appeal against the decision.
Further investigations into tax deals, including those covering Amazon and Apple, are continuing.
"Tax rulings that artificially reduce a company's tax burden are not in line with EU state aid rules. They are illegal. I hope that, with today's decisions, this message will be heard by member state governments and companies alike," Ms Vestager said.
"All companies, big or small, multinational or not, should pay their fair share of tax," she added.
Although "comfort letters" or tax rulings by governments are legal, the arrangements with Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler "do not reflect economic reality", the Commission said.
In particular, it said the firms used so-called "transfer pricing arrangements" between subsidiaries that let Starbucks shift profits abroad, and Fiat pay taxes on "underestimated profits".
The Commission said taxable profits for Fiat's Luxembourg unit could have been 20 times higher under normal market conditions.
"Our decisions today show that artificial and complex methods endorsed by tax rulings cannot mask the actual profits of a company, which must be properly and fully taxed," Ms Vestager said.
Fiat's Luxembourg unit paid "not even" €400,000 in corporate tax last year and Starbucks' Dutch subsidiary less than €600,000, she added.
Fiat's Luxembourg deal, which was brokered in 2012, was made when current European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker was prime minister of the country.
Mr Juncker came under pressure last year over claims that about 340 global companies were granted tax avoidance deals during his 18-year tenure in Luxembourg.
The Dutch government said it was "surprised" by the decision and that it was convinced its arrangement with Starbucks was in line with international standards.
A Starbucks spokesman said: "Starbucks shares the concerns expressed by the Netherlands government that there are significant errors in the decision, and we plan to appeal, since we followed the Dutch and OECD rules available to anyone."
The Luxembourg Ministry of Finance said the Commission had "used unprecedented criteria in establishing the alleged state aid".
"Luxembourg disagrees with the conclusions reached by the European Commission in the Fiat Finance and Trade case and reserves all its rights," it said.
The country "will use appropriate due diligence to analyse the decision of the Commission as well as its legal rationale," it added.
Fiat Chrysler denied receiving any illegal state aid from Luxembourg.
Poverty campaign organisation ActionAid said today's ruling was "just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to corporate tax breaks".
"ActionAid estimates that developing countries lose at least $138bn per year to special tax breaks," said Anders Dahlbeck, ActionAid's tax justice policy adviser.
"These sweetheart deals in Europe and developing countries are part of a race to the bottom on tax which hits the poorest hardest and leaves healthcare, schools and other key public services starved of resources," he said.


News that a Chinese woman died after being trapped in a lift for a month has prompted shock and questions online.

The lift in a residential building in Xian had been turned off by two maintenance workers on 30 January. The woman's body was found a month later.
The incident has once again raised concerns about China's troubled safety standards record, but also sparked discussion on issues from single women to care for the mentally unwell.
"Thirty days, how much pain and suffering she would have gone through, my heart aches for her," said user Huixinya on the popular microblogging network Weibo.
Many like her expressed horror and sympathy at the death of the 43-year-old woman, whose family name was Wu.
There was widespread outrage over reports that staff had only done a cursory check - by shouting to see if anyone was inside - before turning off the power.
Chinese media reported that those in charge of the lift maintenance and the district's property management company have been arrested for involuntary manslaughter.
"Would it have been so difficult to just open the lift and check?" said one user, while another pointed out: "What if it was a deaf person, or a deaf-mute person in the lift?"
Others lambasted the staff, calling them "lazy" and "irresponsible". "This is not due to a workplace accident, but due to workers who lack even a basic level of personal integrity," said a Weibo user.
The incident brought back worries of falling safety standards and a culture of cutting corners. In a prominent case last year, a woman died after falling into a faulty escalator in a shopping mall.
"The recent spate of lift and escalator deaths cannot be simply attributed to manufacturing issues, but also to shirked duties and careless maintenance," read one commentary on web portal Red Net, calling for standards to be improved to "cure this illness of 'man-eating' lifts".
With reports stating that Ms Wu had lived alone and barely kept in contact with her family, concerns were also raised about the safety of single women.
Some expressed surprise that it appeared that nobody had raised the alarm about her long disappearance, and worried about increasing urban isolation.
Weibo user Xiaowuerfu noted: "Maybe we could have an app, where every day you tap on it twice, if after two days you haven't tapped it, it would alert the police.
"I'd thought incidents like these would only happen in the rural countryside, but a busy city is also a steel forest, you are surrounded by so many people and can have many friends, but very few real connections," said another commenter.
The issue of unmarried females, stigmatised in China as "sheng nu" or leftover women, has long been a topic of concern in a culture that prioritises marriage and motherhood for women.
The state has tried to urge more single women to marry, particularly with a huge gender imbalance caused by the recently ended one-child policy.
Widely circulated reports quoted unnamed neighbours that Ms Wu may have suffered from mental health problems.
Though such reports were unverified, some online used them to raise questions about the care of people with mental illnesses.
"How could her family have allowed her to go missing for a month? What about her social community, what were they doing?" said one user.
Others criticised the media, asking how the issue was relevant.
Said one outraged commenter: "This has nothing to do with the fact that the deceased was mentally ill! Would a sane person have been able to survive a month in a lift?"
Another pointed out: "This incident's happened, then you bring up this woman's mental history. God, aren't the mentally ill people too?"


British Cycling's new "people director" Michael Chivers says he wants to add a culture of "high support" to its excellence in high performance.

The governing body is currently under investigation by UK anti-doping over allegations of wrongdoing in the sport.
It is also awaiting a report into allegations - denied - of bullying and discrimination within the team.
"I am so impressed with what this place has achieved but sad about where we are at the moment," said Chivers.
"We have been very good at high performance but where we have not been so good is high support. Getting that balance right is key."
New human resources boss Chivers has been working for British Cycling as a consultant since November.
In his new role he will bring in "behaviours" workshops and seek to to raise management standards within the organisation.


More than 100 protesters have gathered in Washington DC to express their fears about a huge oil pipeline which will cross four states in the western US.

The $3.7bn (Â£2.8bn) Dakota Access pipeline has prompted huge protests, notably in North Dakota where Native Americans have halted its construction.
It will run 1,168 miles through Iowa, Illinois, and North and South Dakotas.
US District Judge James Boasberg said on Wednesday he will make a decision on the issue by 9 September.
Outside the court in the US capital, environmental activists made their feelings clear.
They believe the transporting of up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil a day will imperil local waterways.
The company behind the pipeline, Energy Transport Partners, has said the project will boost local economies and is much safer than transporting oil by rail or road. But protesters disagree.
Activists Desiree Fairooz and Lenny Bianchi were among the demonstrators outside the court, where a federal judge was set to consider the Standing Rock Sioux tribe's request for an injunction that would effectively block the pipeline's construction.
"We're concerned about the Native Americans and the threat to their water supply but we're also concerned about the fossil fuel issue," said Mr Bianchi, a Blue Mountain, Virginia native.
"We don't feel that we should be building pipelines, we feel that the money should instead be spent on alternative sources of energy."
Dozens of protesters convened outside the US District Court, with environmental activists and members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe uniting behind one message - water is life.
The crowd was studded with signs bearing the words "native lives matter", "water is life" and "be on the right side of history, no DAPL [Dakota Access pipeline]."
Valentine Little Shield, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe in South Dakota, took a bus to Washington to show her support for the Standing Rock Nation Tribe.
Ms Little Shield describes the contested pipeline as personal. Her grandchildren use the waters where the pipeline poses a threat to swim, fish and bathe their horses.
"I'm here because of my grandkids and what they're going to go through," she said. "They can't drink the oil, they can't take a bath in the oil."
Generations of native Americans, both young and old, took turns sharing personal accounts of why halting the pipeline was important to them as crowd broke into battle cries and pounded tribal drums.
"We're not here to protest, we're here to protect," said Lance Frazier, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in Eagle Butte, South Dakota .
But for many, the pipeline symbolises a deeper issue among Native Americans.
Denise Desiderio, the policy director for the National Congress of American Indians, called the unilateral support of tribes across the country a "historic" moment.
"We need to make sure our tribal voice is heard and when we raise our voice, we need to make sure it transcends this issue," she said, noting the important symbolism of land to the Native American community.
"We have had enough lands taken away, we can't let what we have left be destroyed."
Hundreds of people have been occupying one of the construction sites in North Dakota, where tensions have been running high between demonstrators, police and builders.


A Chinese restaurant in County Antrim has been destroyed in an arson attack.

The police said a car was set on fire in Main Street, Crumlin, between 03:20 BST and 03:40 BST on Saturday and the blaze spread to the takeaway.
Residents from flats above the takeaway escaped without injury. Other premises on the street have been damaged.
The police said, at this stage, they were not treating the incident as a hate crime.
SDLP councillor Thomas Burns said it was unclear what had actually happened but it looked like the car had been rammed against the shutter of the restaurant.
"This is an absolute disgrace," he said.
"Whether this vehicle has been moved or burnt and has been rammed against the shutters of this takeaway, for the people living upstairs, it could have been an absolute disaster.
"If the blaze had got going, if the people had not got out, the smoke could have killed them, never mind the fire.
"I'm horrified that these Chinese people have been targeted. Why it was them, is a question that is being asked."
Councillor Mervyn Rea of the Ulster Unionist Party said: "That vehicle could have exploded, it could have caused damage where it was parked, it could have caused injury to anyone on the street and, equally so, when it propelled into the shop and set the shop ablaze.
"It could have caused a nasty accident when it was veering across the street."
Anne-Marie Logue, Sinn FÃ©in councillor, said people in the area were "aghast as to why this has happened".
"We are very annoyed for the business involved as well and the family are devastated," she said.
"It's obviously put them out of business for quite a few weeks.
"Opportunists decided to break into the car. The car was put on fire and unfortunately it was directed towards this shop. I'm just glad that nobody has been hurt."
She said Â£700,000 had recently been invested to upgrade Crumlin Main Street.
The police are treating the incident as a suspected arson attack and have appealed for information.


The Republic of Ireland will hold a Somme Centenary Commemoration in the Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Dublin on Saturday.

The event will be held at Islandbridge at 12:00 noon.
The ceremony is being held in conjunction with the Royal British Legion.
Approximately 3,500 soldiers from the island of Ireland lost their lives in the battle.
The event will be attended by the Irish President, Michael D. Higgins and the Taoiseach (Irish prime-minister) Enda Kenny as well as representatives from Northern Ireland.
President Higgins is expected to lay a wreath at the ceremony as are the ambassadors of the eight countries that fought at the Somme, representatives from Northern Ireland and the Presidents of the Royal British Legion (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland).
The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Robin Newton MLA, will represent Northern Ireland.
He said: "Given the huge loss of life and its impact on our history, it is only fitting that the Battle of the Somme has been marked by a range of events within our society, including at the Assembly two weeks ago.
"With my responsibilities for representing the entire Assembly, it is important that I should be involved in emphasising that the Somme did not just affect one part of our community.  I am therefore pleased to be able to represent the Assembly at the commemoration in Dublin.
"The annual event at Islandbridge is traditionally organised by the Royal British Legion of Ireland, but by hosting it during this centenary year, the Taoiseach has demonstrated the importance of remembering the fallen of the Somme by coming together and putting politics aside.
"That is entirely appropriate to recognise that young men on opposing sides of the political divide here went out to fight and die side by side in common cause at the Somme," he added.


Inquests are planned into 11 further deaths at Stepping Hill Hospital following the conviction of nurse Victorino Chua.

The 49-year-old Filipino man was jailed for life for the murders of two people and the poisoning of 20 others.
It is understood the deaths were suspected poisonings but police did not have enough evidence to prosecute.
Stockport coroner, John Pollard, said there was nothing at this stage to prove any link to Chua.
The inquests were postponed pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings.


The leader of the Wales Green Party has resigned from the post.

Alice Hooker-Stroud took the helm of the party in December 2015.  She will be replaced by deputy leader Grenville Ham.
Ms Hooker-Stroud said that the lack of funding for smaller parties in the UK meant it was "untenable" for her to carry on in the voluntary role.
She said: "Parties that have a lot of money can do a lot, and those who have a smaller amount can do less."
Ms Hooker-Stroud, who will step down from the job at the end of March, said that because the party does not take funds from large businesses means members have the "biggest say".
"But it has contributed to my role being effectively a voluntary one, which for me has sadly become untenable," she said.
"The financing of political parties in general needs urgent reform so that politicians aren't just the mouthpieces for big business, and so that alternative voices are heard."
Mr Ham runs a not-for-profit engineering company and is a former Welsh Assembly election candidate.
He is standing in this May's council elections in Brecon.


A brawl broke out between audience members during a Hunger Games-inspired performance of Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance.

Eight people started fighting at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on the opening night of the Irish dance show.
Georgina Lynn Sixsmith, 48, has been charged with being drunk and disorderly and assault on a constable, police said.
There were no reports of injuries. The theatre has not commented.
The trouble began in the orchestra stalls during Tuesday's performance of Lord Of The Dance: Dangerous Games, directed and choreographed by Irish dance superstar Flatley.
The show is described as a high-energy, two-hour fusion of dance styles - from traditional Irish dance to tap and modern - and involves a story of good versus evil, with a Hunger Games flavour.
Ms Sixsmith, of Andrew Street, Middleton, has been bailed to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on 10 May.


The archaeological remains of two Elizabethan playhouses, one of which saw the first performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet, have been given listed status.

The Theatre and the Hope were the first and last playhouses built in Elizabethan London.
They join the Rose and the Globe as protected monuments to 16th and 17th Century theatre.
The sites of three bear-baiting pits in the Bankside area have been listed.
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The Theatre was built in 1576-77 by James Burbage on the junction of Curtain Road and New Inn Yard in Hackney and a number of companies, including the Lord Chamberlain's Company which included William Shakespeare, were associated with it.
It is believed to have been the first playhouse in which Hamlet was performed, in 1596 with Richard Burbage as the lead.
Christopher Marlow's Faustus is thought to have first been put on at the theatre in 1592.
After a financial dispute, Burbage's sons dismantled the theatre in late December 1598 and moved reusable parts south of the Thames to Bankside for use in construction of their new venture, the Globe.
The remains of the Theatre now lie beneath a modern mixed-use building in Hackney.
The Hope was the last of the playhouses of the era, opening in approximately 1614 after Philip Henslowe and two partners entered a contract to replace "the Bear Gardens" with a new building that would be a joint theatre and bear-baiting arena.
The first play performed there was Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair but animal baiting and other entertainment gradually eclipsed the plays and the acting company left the Hope in 1617.
It was ordered to close down by Parliament in 1643 but continued to operate until it was dismantled in 1656.
The remains of the Hope are located beneath a car park on the southern side of Riverside House on Southwark Bridge Road.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of government heritage agency Historic England, said: "The archaeological remains of the first and last Elizabethan playhouses to be built in London give us fleeting glimpses of a fascinating period in the history of theatre.
"They are where some of the world's greatest stories were first told and it is wonderful that they remain today, bearing witness to our fascinating past.
"Their cultural importance, particularly their connections with Shakespeare and Marlowe, means they deserve protection as part of England's precious historic fabric."


Skyfall actor Rory Kinnear is to play aristocrat Lord Lucan in a two-part ITV drama marking the 40th anniversary of his mysterious disappearance.

The 7th Earl of Lucan vanished after the death of his children's nanny, Sandra Rivett, in 1974.
An inquest subsequently ruled that he murdered her.
The drama is based on John Pearson's book The Gamblers, which claimed Lucan's wealthy friends helped him leave the country.
Christopher Eccleston and Sir Michael Gambon will also appear in the drama, which will begin filming in London in August.
Writer Jeff Pope has penned a number of true crime dramas for ITV, including Mrs Biggs, and acted as executive producer on Appropriate Adult and The Murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Sandra Rivett was found dead at the home of Lord Lucan's estranged wife in the Belgravia area of London in 1974.
Lady Lucan was also attacked but managed to escape.
Lord Lucan disappeared and his car was later found abandoned and soaked in blood in Newhaven, East Sussex.
A year later an inquest jury ruled that Lord Lucan had killed Rivett, whom many believe was mistaken by the aristocrat for his wife Veronica.
Lord Lucan was officially declared dead by the High Court in 1999. Since his disappearance there have been numerous "sightings" around the world.
Executive producer Francis Hopkinson said the drama would bring "new insight and revelations which will surprise the audience".
Kinnear, the son of actor Roy, played Bill Tinner in the Bond films Quantum of Solace and Skyfall and can be seen this weekend in Channel 4 drama Southcliffe.
His first play, The Herd, has its premiere at the Bush theatre in London in September.


CES provides a first glimpse at the future.

Pretty much all of the tech giants attend the vast Vegas expo - either to unveil new products or to clinch deals behind the scene.
But in recent years it's been start-ups that have had many of the most eye-arresting and sensational reveals.
There are more at this year's show than ever before, thanks in part to crowdfunding. They now have to convince retailers - hunting through the halls for the next bestsellers - that the promise of their concept videos has been delivered upon.
Dozens of start-ups are also there thanks to help from governments and other national bodies - France, Israel, Ukraine and the Netherlands all have stands where they'll fly the flag for local talent.
But China may make the biggest splash with more than 1,300 registered exhibitors.
"Every year at CES I meet the people who work on the technology that affects our lives and you can see literally every part of the tech industry represented," innovation evangelist Robert Scoble told the BBC.
Of course, there's a lot of crud too - the challenge is to distinguish the potential hits from the glitch-ridden flops.
Below, we have picked what could be some of the week's highlights:
CES marks the beginning of a land grab by three of the leading virtual assistants: Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana and the Google Assistant.
The companies all want their voice-controlled AIs to power third-party products. And Amazon looks to have the head start.
The headphones specialist OnVocal will be showing off wireless earphones that link up to Alexa, and GE has also preannounced a table lamp that doubles as a speaker powered by Amazon's voice service. Sonos too aims to add the facility to its wireless speakers, though we believe it isn't quite ready to show off its efforts.
But don't count the other two out.
We know Microsoft is working with Harman Kardon on a "premium audio" speaker, and the firm has teased adding Cortana to other types of products, including toasters. And Google has secured at least one bit of kit at CES - the Aviva speaker - to host its cloud-based intelligence.
One expert suggested others will also try to gatecrash the party.
It's not all about voice though.
The French start-up Bixi will be making the case for gesture controls. It will be demoing the final design of a gizmo that lets you control smartphones and tablets with a wave of a hand.
More groundbreaking perhaps is the Blitab, a tactile tablet described as the iPad for the blind.
The Austrian innovation produces small physical bubbles in an area above its touchscreen which delivers refresh double lines of dynamic Braille.
We're still decades away from having the type of androids seen on TV shows such as Westworld or Humans.
But CES is still an opportunity to see how far along more specialised kit has become.
London-based Emotech is one to watch.
It will unveil Olly - a tabletop bot with its own smart assistant that recognises different household members and adapts it personality to suit each one.
The project was developed with help from academics at University College London, Imperial College and Edinburgh University, and has already secured $10m (£8.2m) of investment from China.
There will also be a range of modular robots.
Several companies are backing the concept, which allows users to switch about parts to change skills and manoeuvrability.
Examples will include Modi, a Lego-style kit that lets owners build a bot out of small cubes - each offering different functions such as motors, lights and infra-red detectors.
Another is Unibot, a robotic vacuum cleaner that trebles up as a mobile home security camera and an air purifier/humidifier.
Meanwhile, OAPs can look forward to Cutii, a robot that resembles an iPad on wheels, which will supposedly become their "companion".
And there will also be bots that zoom round tennis courts picking up balls, remove droppings from cat litter, and even move physical chess pieces around a board.
Keep an eye out for Laundroid, too. The Japanese clothes-folding machine raised $60m from Panasonic and others for its giant clothes-folding droid following an appearance at last year's CES.
Some have described the idea as ridiculous.
But it will be interesting to see if it works well enough to go on sale later this year, as planned.
Health and wearables
Pregnancy seems to be one of health tech's preoccupations this year.
There is both Ava, a sensor-equipped wristband that apparently alerts women to when they are most fertile, and Trakfertility, a DIY sperm count test that tells an associated app what steps the owner should take to boost their numbers.
And just in case you are tempted to pair off with the wrong partner, Milo Sensors is in town with what it describes as the world's first blood alcohol wearable.
It's easy to joke, but health tech is booming and analysts are competing to predict how many billions of pounds it will be worth in a decade's time.
The ultimate goal is to create something resembling Star Trek's Tricoder - an all-in-one device that diagnoses any ailment.
An Israeli start-up will be showing off a gadget that promises to get us at least partly there.
The TytoHome is designed to let families take heart, lungs, throat, abdomen and other organs' readings and send them to their clinicians. Its slogan is a "check-up without the check-in", but medics may need convincing.
There will doubtless be new twists on the fitness tracker too. It would be unwise to suggest the market for such devices has peaked - Fitbit's app topped Apple's App Store this Christmas, indicating people are still buying them in droves.
But a more intriguing development is wearables with built-in airbags.
ActiveProtective is promising to show off a prototype smart belt for the elderly that triggers a cushioning action over their hips if it detects a fall.
And Inemotion has developed ski racing clothes with a similar function to prevent injuries on the piste.
France's Wair has a different spin on discreet wearable tech with a internet-connected scarf that doubles as an air filter.
But the question remains whether wearable tech has a profitable future beyond health.
There will be more app-laden smartwatches - including the possibility of the first Android Wear 2.0 devices - at the show, but the sector has not been the hit many had predicted.
We're also promised the world's first vibrating tight cut jeans that offer their wearers directions without having to look at a screen.
If you had asked the experts a decade ago, they would probably have predicted OLED (organic light-emitting diode) TVs would be the norm by now. But the tech has faced several setbacks.
It's stubbornly refused to become as cheap to manufacture as hoped, it doesn't go as bright as LED equivalents and some complain that it "crushes the blacks" making it hard to distinguish detail in the shadows.
Even so, OLED retains a wow factor thanks to its ability to control the light of each individual pixel, helping its images to have more "pop", and its screens to be ever thinner.
Panasonic has hinted it will show off an OLED display at CES that will better handle dim scenes, and there is speculation Sony has similar news.
Plus there's reason to believe prices are about to drop.
Until recently, LG manufactured all the OLED panels used by itself and other brands. But now BOE - a Chinese company - has a rival component. The question is who will break ranks to adopt it.
Expect Samsung to make a loud noise about QLED, a new spin on its "quantum dot" technology that allows its screens to be brighter than ever before.
That's important because of HDR - another acronym you're going to have to get used to. It refers to high dynamic range, which allows images to appear more vibrant and detailed - especially in scenes containing both glints of light and shadows.
The problem is that there are three rival HDR standards - HDR10, Dolby Vision and the BBC's forthcoming HLG - meaning the potential for another format war.
But it is possible to support all three, so it will be revealing to see if any of manufactures make a commitment to do so with their new screens.
It's now relatively cheap and power-efficient to add sensors and wireless data links to products. That's led to an explosion of ideas - some more sensible than others.
It's debateable how many of us really need Genican, for example, a device that scans rubbish's barcodes as it is thrown away in order to build up a shopping list of replacement items.
Likewise, it's not clear whether an aromatherapy diffuser needs to be smartphone-controlled, even if its scents really boost memory and clean lungs, as claimed.
Where things get more interesting is when tech genuinely makes lives simpler without requiring too much effort.
One way firms are trying to do this is by focusing on the refrigerator.
LG has a model that activates a sterilisation process when it senses temperature and/or humidity issues in order to extend food's shelf life.
And for those who would prefer to retrofit their existing equipment, UK start-up Smarter Applications has Fridgecam: a device that keeps track of what its owners have in stock and when it expires, sending alerts to buy new items when necessary.
But one expert says if the sector is to achieve its potential, consumers need to be reassured that the risks do not outweigh the benefits.
"In the last 18 months the conversation about security and privacy has moved from the tech pages to the front pages of newspapers," said John Curran from the consultancy Accenture.
"To make these devices easy to connect and easy to use, some companies have hardcoded passwords or put no security measures in place, and that made them an easy target.
"At CES we're looking for businesses to be more transparent about what data is being collected, how it's being used and with whom it's being shared.
"And they need to make it easier for consumers to adjust their security settings."
There are rumours that HTC will unveil a second-generation Vive VR headset at CES - possibly introducing wireless capabilities - but the system is only nine months old, so that seems a tad optimistic.
The two other big virtual reality firms - Sony and Facebook's Oculus division - launched their kit even more recently.
Even so, there should still be lots of developments.
Huawei has just hired Steve LaValle, one of the brains behind Oculus, and the Chinese firm is set to reveal more about its VR plans at the show.
It's a safe bet that several third-party headsets previously teased by Microsoft will also be on display.
And we will also see the introduction of Fove, a crowdfunded VR headset with eye-tracking abilities, allowing gamers to control action with shifts in their gaze.
Fove won't be the only one trying to offer new ways for users to interact with virtual experiences.
A foot controller that lets you direct where your character walks, a sensor-laden T-shirt that tracks your torso's movements, and various haptic devices that try to let consumers feel virtual objects are just some of the products with CES stands.
With augmented reality - where graphics and real-world views are mixed together - things are still at an early stage.
But Asus and others may reveal handsets that include Google's Project Tango depth-sensing technology, adding basic AR capabilities.
Intel will have more to say about Project Alloy - a headset that lets you see your hands and other real-world objects within VR worlds.
And a start-up called Occipital will demo a contraption that uses an iPhone to create something akin to Microsoft's HoloLens mixed-reality headset.
While hardware may dominate the headlines, it could be content that determines which products are winners.
"In the US the National Basketball Association recently announced that it will broadcast games in virtual reality," noted Mr Curran.
"And as other big media and content companies get involved, they will attract more types of consumers to VR, rather than just the tech-enthused.
"So, I'll be looking to see which platforms the media providers target as they pursue opportunities in this space."
There's going to be a lot of talk and demos of self-driving cars by the big automakers on and off the Las Vegas strip.
Menawhile, rival chipmakers - including Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm - will be excitedly pitching their processors and 5G chips as the potential heart of the autonomous vehicle revolution.
But you'll have to wait for a future CES to find anything road-ready that allows the "driver" to really ignore the steering wheel.
This time round, look instead for new ways to interact with your vehicle.
BMW will unveil its HoloActiv Touch system, in which motorists use finger gestures to interact with graphics that project out of dashboard screens.
And Continental will demo facial recognition tech that recognises who is driving and adjusts mirror and seat positions accordingly.
Faraday Future is also back for a second year to convince sceptics that it can launch an electric car before its funds dry up.
There will also be all kinds of alternative transport ideas including an intelligent scooter that shuts off its power if it detects an accident, a motorised rideable suitcase and the latest evolutions of the hoverboard.
And we've still barely scratched the surface. There are zones dedicated to drones, beauty tech and 3D printing.
Plus there's room for oddities, such as a device that claims to be able to record smells.
The BBC tech team will do its best to keep you across all the major developments from the first press day on Tuesday until the show floors shut on Sunday.
You can keep up to date at bbc.co.uk/ces2017 and by following our Twitter list of those covering CES.


One of Britain's oldest women stole the show at a Labour Party fringe meeting, with an impassioned speech against government cuts.

Kier Hardie had just been elected leader of the fledgling Labour Party when 107-year-old Hetty Bower was born.
She has spent a lifetime campaigning for peace and improved standards of living for working people.
Although frail, and with failing eyesight and hearing, she spoke with a clarity and force undimmed by age.
"I have lived for a very long time and I have a very good memory," she told the meeting, which had been organised by the Daily Mirror to highlight the human stories behind austerity.
"I've lived through two world wars and I have spent most of my adult life working for peace on our planet.
"I don't think human beings are civilised while we still waste time and money killing each other, when we should be sitting at a table discussing how to improve the lives of ordinary people."
Mrs Bower, who recently took part in a march against the closure of a hospital near her North London home, shared a platform with Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey among others.
But although she needed a little prompting to get on to the subject of deprivation, she was far from overawed by the occasion.
She said she did not need to tell us "what poverty can do to people".
"You have eyes and ears that can hear and see. Neither of mine function properly now but I remember sufficiently to know just what it was like to see poverty and deprivation and the word 'welfare' was totally unknown.
"So we have progressed, but I'm now wondering what's going to happen to our welfare state and that is what I have to campaign about in the short time still left to me - peace on our planet and improvement of living conditions."
"I can remember hearing a mother discuss whether she could pay for the visit of a doctor or whether it's got to go on food for the family. I can remember women singing in the street for pennies generous people threw at their feet. Those days must never return."
A veteran of left-wing campaigns from the General Strike in the 1920s to the anti-Iraq war protests of 2003, Mrs Bower also shared her recollections of the "battle of Cable Street," in the 1930s, when fascists were prevented from marching through Jewish areas of East London.
"Hatred of other human beings will have to be totally eliminated throughout our land and that is what I, in the short time left to me, am still campaigning for - peace," she said to a standing ovation from Labour delegates.
Mrs Bower, who was in Brighton with her family, then headed off to meet Ed Miliband, the 12th man to lead the Labour Party since she joined it at the age of 17 (Ramsay Macdonald was the first).
"I don't know what she'll make of him," confided her daughter to BBC News.


A 77-year-old woman was tied up and threatened by a gang of men who barged into in her home in Menston, West Yorkshire.

Police said the woman went outside her home at 23:00 BST on Friday to check on a noise when the gang burst in.
She was tied up and dragged upstairs before being threatened into revealing where her safe was.
A valuable diamond bracelet was taken along with cash from the house in Bingley Road.
The gang also tried to steal the woman's car from the driveway but they were unable to start the vehicle.
Det Insp Phil Jackson, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "This was clearly a really frightening experience for the victim and we are currently carrying out extensive inquiries to trace the men responsible.


Smoking could be banned in some new council homes in a bid to protect the health of children, a UK public health expert has said.

Under the proposals, tenants would be asked to sign an agreement not to light up inside their home.
President of the Faculty of Public Health, Prof John Middleton, says some councils and housing associations are already exploring the smoke-free housing idea.
According to the professor, the agreement would be voluntary rather than mandatory, although it would be part of the tenancy contract for new family housing.
He says there would be tenants who would prefer to live in a non-smoking block, particularly if they have children.
Second-hand smoke harms children's lungs and has been linked to an increased risk of cot death in babies.
"We are not saying people can't smoke or that they have to give up smoking. The voluntary agreement would be that they have to smoke outside."
It would be up to social landlords and housing associations to set the rules. Anyone living in the smoke-free building who signed up would then need to abide by the arrangements.
The US has decided to go a step further and insist all public housing agencies provide smoke-free environments for their residents by the end of July 2018
It will means no-one can smoke inside or within 25 feet of the homes.
Policymakers think so, although it can be difficult to measure the full impact.
A ban on smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars, was introduced in England in 2007.
The government then commissioned a review of the evidence on the impact of the law in England. This was carried out by Prof Linda Bauld from the University of Stirling and the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies.
Prof Bauld's report, published in 2011, concluded there had been "benefits for health" as well as changes in attitudes and behaviour, with more people looking to cut down on or quit smoking.
According to the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the majority of people who live in social housing in the UK do not smoke and many of those who do already act responsibly and take their smoke outside.
A spokeswoman said: "Blanket bans are unlikely to be the answer but it would be great to see social landlords thinking strategically about how they can support healthier environments around smoking.
"Looking at new housing and setting some aside for smoke-free tenancies seems like a sensible suggestion and it would be great to see landlords adopt this as part of a wider approach."
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, said banning smoking in social housing would set a very dangerous precedent.
"Not only would it be a gross invasion of privacy, it would penalise unfairly those who can't afford to buy their own homes.
"How would the policy be enforced? It could create a snooper's charter allowing people to snitch on neighbours, especially those they don't get on with. Children might inadvertently give their parents away, resulting in possible eviction.
"It's not second-hand smoke that's making people's lives a misery. It's puritanical bodies like the Faculty of Public Health who, having campaigned to ban smoking in every pub and club in the country, are now trying to dictate how people behave in their own private space as well."


The governor of North Carolina has declared a state of emergency in the city of Charlotte, sending in the National Guard, as unrest over a police shooting continues.

Violence erupted for a second night as protests over the killing of a black man spun out of control.
One protester is in a critical condition after a "civilian on civilian" incident, the city said.
Riot police used tear gas as they faced hundreds of protesters.
The demonstrators are angry that Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was killed by police on Tuesday.
Police say Mr Scott was repeatedly told to drop his handgun before he was shot but his family say he was reading a book at the time.
Sixteen police officers were injured in unrest on Tuesday night.
Governor Pat McCrory declared the state of emergency as rioters attacked journalists and other people, breaking windows and setting small fires.
The second night of protests had begun peacefully but the demonstration was interrupted by gunfire and a man in the crowd was injured. The city initially said he had been killed but then issued a clarification on Twitter.
Protesters then threw bottles and fireworks at the officers, who were lined up in riot gear. Police fired flash grenades and tear gas to repel the crowds.
The use of lethal police force against African Americans has been the subject of nationwide protests across the US for two years.
Another African American, Terence Crutcher, was killed by police in Tulsa on Friday, and officers said on Sunday he had been unarmed.
Ohio police kill boy 'who drew BB gun'
Tulsa shooting: The unanswered questions
Trump 'troubled' by Tulsa police shooting
Police in Charlotte on Wednesday appealed for calm and defended their actions in the death of Mr Scott by insisting he had been repeatedly warned to drop his gun.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney told a news conference Mr Scott first got out of the car with a gun, then got back into his vehicle when officers told him to drop his weapon.
He was shot when he emerged from his car holding his weapon. The police chief was unable to say if Mr Scott had been pointing his weapon at officers.
After her father's death, Mr Scott's daughter posted a video on Facebook in which she said her father had been unarmed and reading a book as he waited for the school bus to drop off his son, when he was shot.
The mayor of Charlotte, Jennifer Robert, voiced her shock at the violent protests.
"Charlotte is a city that has worked very hard to build good community police relations," she told the BBC.
"We have been a model of community policing. We have actually trained other police forces. This is not who we are as Charlotteans and I'm hoping we can move past these protests very quickly, move into more peaceful protests and back into dialogue."