The Belfast News Letter is one of Northern Ireland's daily papers and a primary voice of unionism.

Its editor Ben Lowry has been speaking to Irish broadcaster RTÉ's Morning Ireland radio programme - he says the big issue for their readers is the "traumatic" situation of Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill (above) potentially becoming first minister.

Mr Lowry maintains the DUP vote didn't collapse, as some commentators had predicted, but stressed there are difficult issues now facing unionism.

For Sinn Féin to be installed in the role of first minister, the majority of unionist assembly members would have to agree to power-sharing, as Northern Ireland operates under a system of mandatory coalition.

However, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said that he will not be nominating any ministers to the executive until the issue if the Northern Ireland Protocol is not resolved.

We're still waiting on the final results - but already there's question marks over what the DUP will do after the election.

It's on course to lose its position as the largest party to Sinn Féin. And throughout the campaign, its leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has maintained he will not be nominating any ministers to the executive - the cabinet of ministers that comprise the Stormont government - until the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol is resolved.

The party's former leader Edwin Poots says "sorting out" the protocol is its "number one priority".

Speaking to Today, he says: “Elections come and elections go… but the Northern Ireland protocol and the harm and damage it does remains.”

He criticises Boris Johnson for allowing the “entirely unacceptable” agreement to remain in place, claiming the UK government is “driving a stake through the entire peace process”.

Asked if other issues – such as health and the cost of living – were more important to unionist voters in NI, Poots claims they are linked to the protocol – saying trade barriers between GB and NI are preventing the import of medications, for example.

He adds: “The withdrawal agreement and Good Friday Agreement are incompatible with each other, and if the current [UK] government want to put the deal they have done with the European Union above the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process in Northern Ireland, that is the choice they will now have to make.”

One of the big issues of this election was the Northern Ireland Protocol - but what is it? And what impact has it had on votes?

The protocol was agreed between the United Kingdom and European Union as part of the Brexit negotiations.

The idea behind it was to prevent a hard border being created on the island of Ireland, where the UK border would meet with the EU.

The deal kept Northern Ireland inside the EU single market for goods, and was seen as an acceptable compromise by nationalists and the cross-community Alliance Party.

But it also created a new trade border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK - something strongly opposed by unionists.

The protocol was a major driver of unionist votes, particularly in aiding support for the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), hurting the numbers for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

But its impact will continue after the results, as the DUP says it will not help form an administration in Northern Ireland unless the UK government scraps it.

You can read more about the protocol here.

Image source, Pacemaker

In February, the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) Paul Givan resigned as Northern Ireland’s first minister. At the time, the DUP was the largest party in parliament.

Three months on – despite having been successfully re-elected in his home constituency of Lagan Valley – things are looking quite different.

For the first time in history, the Irish nationalist party Sinn Féin looks set to overtake the DUP in terms of Stormont seats.

But Givan doesn’t see the result as a clear win for nationalism over unionism – which backs staying part of the United Kingdom.

Givan said he takes comfort in the fact that "across the pro-union vote there is a 30,000 majority".

"We are seeing a dilution of the unionist vote in terms of what the largest party is now for Northern Ireland and that is going to be Sinn Féin," he said.

But in addition to voting for unionist and nationalist parties, an increasing number of people are voting for non-aligned or "other" parties such as the cross-community Alliance, which looks set to become the third largest party.

Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor

The count continues but it's clear - Sinn Féin are the big winners and will be returned as the largest party at Stormont.

The Alliance Party surge is continuing as well - it came into the election the fifth largest party at Stormont and will be coming out the other side in third place.

The DUP's percentage vote has fallen, but the party may well escape with just losing two to three seats which was much better perhaps than many of the pollsters had predicted.

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), which has been a staunch opponent of the Northern Ireland Protocol, is also a winner and saw its percentage vote increase, but it's not quite clear yet whether the party will be able to tag on any extra seats.

The big loser is the SDLP - their vote has dropped and will be well below 10%.

The Ulster Unionists will probably stand still with 10 seats or so.

There has been considerable international interest in this election because for the first time in history in Northern Ireland an Irish nationalist party - Sinn Féin - is on course to win the most seats at Stormont.

Becoming the biggest party at Stormont is significant because it means Sinn Féin would have the right to nominate a representative to the post of first minister or Northern Ireland.

Stormont is led both a first minister and a deputy first minister but in reality the roles are equal in all but name.

However, since the Good Friday Agreement, the first minister's role has always been held by a unionist party and losing it to a nationalist party would be a symbolic blow for unionism.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) concentrated on this theme in their election campaign, warning that a splintered unionist vote would allow Sinn Féin to emerge as the largest party.

If, as expected, Sinn Féin win the most seats, its vice president Michelle O'Neill said she will be a "first minister for all".

However, all eyes would then be on the DUP to see whether or not the party will agree to return to power-sharing at Stormont. More on that later.

So - where were we?

When counting was suspended at the three count centres late last night, 47 of the Northern Ireland Assembly's 90 seats were filled.

So there's still plenty to go when the count resumes at 9am.

The first preference results are in, however, with Sinn Féin comfortably on top and big surges for the Alliance party and Traditional Unionist Voice.

However, under Northern Ireland's single transferable vote (STV) voting system, first preference vote share does not always translate into assembly seats - for instance, it looks likely the TUV will return one assembly member.

Here's how the parties are doing so far in terms of seats:

• Sinn Féin - 18
• Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - 12
• Alliance - 8
• Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) - 4
• Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - 3
• Others - 2

But there's still plenty of counting to be done today. For a further breakdown of the first preference votes, read more here while you can see full stage-by-stage results in each constituency here.

Image source, Pacemaker

Hello and welcome to BBC News NI's live coverage of day two of the count in the Northern Ireland Assembly election 2022.

Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect 90 new MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) at Stormont.

Counting began on Friday morning and by close of play overnight, just over half the seats had been declared.

So far, Sinn Féin are celebrating as they have won 18 seats and most first preference votes. They're on course to become the first nationalist party to win the post of Northern Ireland first minister.

The Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) first preference vote has dropped, while the centre-ground Alliance party looks set to make big gains.

Stay with us for all the drama as counting resumes this morning.