Hundreds of same-sex couples across Washington state collected licences as a voter-approved law legalising gay marriage took effect.

Crowds of people lit joints under Seattle’s Space Needle early on Thursday morning with scarcely a police officer in sight after marijuana became legal under Washington state law.

A US state's law allowing gay marriage was blocked from taking effect as opponents filed more than 200,000 signatures seeking a public vote on the issue in November.

A US state’s law allowing gay marriage was blocked from taking effect today as opponents filed more than 200,000 signatures seeking a public vote on the issue in November.

A man with an extensive criminal past whose 95-year prison sentence was commuted nearly a decade ago was sought today after four police officers were gunned down in a US coffee shop.