DUP's Paul Givan and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill were put forward as first and deputy first ministers
But DUP party representatives had voted against nominating by a large majority, causing a rift within the party
The nomination came after the UK government said it would legislate for language protections if Stormont does not
DUP members entered a crisis meeting late on Thursday with DUP leader Edwin Poots expected to face a vote of no confidence
Edwin Poots resigned weeks into his leadership after a meeting of party officers at DUP headquarters
DUP leader Edwin Poots and his expected nominee for first minister, Paul Givan, are in the chamber and the assembly session has started.
But will the nomination go ahead? You can watch the session live via our Stormont Live page here.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
If you're keen to stay across the detail of what's said during the Stormont assembly sitting, beginning at noon, head over to our Stormont Live page.
The nomination of a first and deputy first minister is expected during the sitting, but with the DUP currently meeting to discuss last night's events - the situation is developing quickly.
Our politics team will be covering absolutely everything that's said, but we'll have the main headlines and reaction right here.
BBC News NI political correspondent Jayne McCormack reports that it's understood DUP MPs and peers have joined a Zoom call with party leader Edwin Poots, following their letter expressing concerns this morning.
The Northern Ireland Assembly is due to sit in less than 10 minutes to formalise nominations for first and deputy first minister...
Earlier, we had more reaction from Dublin with the Republic of Ireland's foreign minister saying that any agreements in the New Decade New Approach deal should be implemented by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
But Simon Coveney welcomed the intervention from NI Secretary Brandon Lewis, in the absence of movement on language legislation being passed at Stormont.
Image source, Reu"This would be better done in the assembly as agreed last year but it is welcome that the secretary of state has given an assurance these positive measures agreed in support of linguistic diversity and cultural expression in Northern Ireland are now to be put in place through legislation in Westminster if necessary," he said.
The executive is at the heart of the Northern Ireland's devolved government - and at the heart of today's headlines. But just what is it and how does it operate?
It's the name we give to the group of ministers who oversee key departments such as health, finance and justice.
And, at the head of the group, are the first and deputy first ministers.
While members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) scrutinise and debate legislation, ministers are in post to make decisions.
BBC News NI looks at some of the executive's key functions and powers here.
Image source, PAThings have been moving quickly at Stormont, with the DUP set to hold a meeting before any nominations for first or deputy first minister.
DUP MPs and peers requested the urgent meeting with party leader Edwin Poots.
Nominations for the positions are expected to take place later today in the assembly.
The party members - including MPs Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Sammy Wilson - expressed concern at the move to end a stalemate over Irish language laws.
Follow the latest developments here
There's been a lot of chat about it this morning, but what actually is the NDNA (or New Decade, New Approach) deal?
It was struck in early 2020 and allowed the return of power sharing at Stormont three years after the institutions collapsed. The deal incorporated lots of sectors from the economy, to language, Brexit, health, education and policing.
NI Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey says in a letter to MLAs that he has been told by the DUP and Sinn Féin "that the nomination of a First Minister and a deputy First Minister can be successfully conducted today".
Image source, Paemaker"I have engaged with the Business Committee this morning and it has agreed to schedule an additional sitting to ensure that this business can be transacted.
"An Order Paper for a sitting of the Assembly at 12pm today will issue shortly."
This confirms that an assembly sitting can go ahead - but, as we know, the situation is moving fast with the DUP expected to have a party meeting before then. Stay tuned...
While the DUP side of the Stormont deal is now in doubt, Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill says the developments late last night as "a positive step forward for equality, rights and for our society as a whole".
Ms O'Neill says she will be re-nominated to the position of deputy first minister later today.
In a tweet, Ms O'Neill says that Westminster's intervention on Irish language wasn't the party's first choice, but said, it was the only way "to break the cycle of blockage from the DUP".
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
BBC News NI political correspondent Gareth Gordon tweets on the DUP...
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
We have the text of the of leaked email sent to DUP leader Edwin Poots this morning from senior DUP politicians. It reads:
"Dear Edwin,
"We note the announcement made by the Secretary of State in the early hours of this morning that both you and the Sinn Fein leadership have agreed to nominate a First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the basis that Westminster will legislate on the Irish language and other matters if the Assembly fails to do so by October. We are also in receipt of your email this morning regarding this agreement.
"We are very concerned about this development and therefore, are urgently requesting that you meet with us as DUP Members of Parliament and Peers to explain the basis of your agreement with the Secretary of State and Sinn Fein before any further steps are taken in this process, including the nomination of a First Minister. Assuming you will have prior consultation with your Assembly Group, we would be happy to join this meeting.
"You have often spoken of the need for accountability and transparency within our party and it is now essential that you consult with us as representatives of the people of Northern Ireland before you proceed further.
"We look forward to hearing from you thereto."
BBC News NI's Political Editor Enda McClafferty has a leaked copy of an email that was sent to DUP leader Edwin Poots this morning.
He says it has been sent by a number of the DUP’s “big hitters” including Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Sammy Wilson, Gregory Campbell, Lord Dodds and Lord Morrow.
He adds that they are setting out their concerns about the next step and they are seeking an urgent meeting with Edwin Poots and telling him to “stall this process until he has wider consultation within the party”.
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said both Westminster and the Irish government have embraced the solution to the stalemate over Irish language.
“Dublin has embraced that solution and it now needs to be implemented,” she told BBC's Good Morning Ulster.
She said Stormont needed to "get to grips" with hospital waiting lists, and a “prosperous and inclusive society”.
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan asks why "the same tactics" used by NI Secretary Brandon Lewis have not been used for other political issues.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Image source, PA MediaDUP leader Edwin Poots says his party are looking to have the military covenant delivered in NI by "the autumn time".
"It wasn’t going through the assembly, it was always going to be done at Westminster," Mr Poots told the BBC's Nolan Show.
“[The Military covenant and Irish language legislation] are not conflated and I don’t want the two things conflated.
“It should be done, it will be done and will be put and place and honoured and respected."
Alliance Party MLA Kellie Armstrong calls on DUP leader Edwin Poots for "actions not words".
"Release all legislation being blocked from the Exec agenda," she tweets.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor
No need for extra time or penalties and in the end the referee was able to blow it up early.
Whatever late drama we did get, it was played out behind closed doors.
This was a Stormont stand-off resolution like no other.
It was all sorted with four days to spare before the deadline.
But in truth this was a dispute which was never going down to the wire - the stakes were too high.
So who won and who lost?
Read more here
Image source, PacemakerUlster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie says the DUP "have put themselves on a hook" adding: "We're going to lose out if they don't act".
“My concern is now that if we don’t bring [Irish language legislation] forward in the assembly, if we kick this can down the road until the autumn so that Brandon Lewis brings it in in Westminster, we as a party will not have the opportunity to scrutinise or engage to challenge aspects of it," he says.
He accused the DUP and Sinn Féin of "play acting" over the past number of days.
Nichola Mallon says she hopes her Stormont colleagues can "get over themselves" and get back to work, saying: "We've had our drama."
“We’ve very important business to do today as an executive, we need an important update on the Delta variant, we need to be ratifying, if that is in line with the public health advice.
“We need, as an executive, to be focused on our strategic recovery from Covid," she told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.