A fresh election for Northern Ireland is expected to be announced later after a deadline for the formation of a new Stormont Executive expired.
The region has been in a political crisis for months, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) refusing to return to power-sharing over its opposition to the Brexit-related Northern Ireland Protocol.
The party also lost its status as the region's largest party to Sinn Féin back in May.
The UK's Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is due to call the election on Friday following the failure of a last-ditch attempt to restore the multi-party executive.
A six-month legislative timeframe to form an administration expired at midnight, which means Mr Heaton-Harris is now under a legal obligation to call a fresh election.
Election date
An election must happen within 12 weeks, with speculation the poll would be held on December 15th, though the details are yet to be announced.
Stormont ministers ceased to hold office at midnight after operating in shadow form since the assembly collapsed earlier this year.
Senior civil servants there are now responsible for running departments until a government is formed.
On Thursday, members met during a recalled sitting of the assembly in a bid to elect a new speaker; but it did not go ahead as the DUP refused to support the nominations and the session was suspended.
Northern Ireland Protocol
The DUP's boycott is part of a campaign of opposition to the protocol, with the party claiming it will not return to power-sharing until action is taken to remove barriers on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said "political instability" in Westminster caused by two British prime ministers in as many months meant it was "impossible" for the EU and UK to strike a deal on the protocol by Friday.
He said the "sensible" thing was for power-sharing to resume while negotiations over the Northern Ireland Protocol continue.
The British government has vowed to secure changes to the protocol to empower ministers to scrap the arrangements without the approval of Brussels - either by a negotiated compromise with the EU or through proposed domestic legislation.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson argued not enough progress has been made on addressing issues of concern around the protocol.
The formation of an Executive has again been blocked today
This is an insult to workers and families who are struggling to heat their homes
And hard pressed health workers who need support
Those denying democracy must stop punishing people, and work with us to deliver change pic.twitter.com/xDgYtgrGNA— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) October 27, 2022
Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill said the DUP "have left us all at the mercy of a heartless and dysfunctional Tory government".
Newly-installed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also urged the DUP to get back to Stormont just hours before the deadline to restore devolution elapsed.
His official spokesman said: "There's still time for the DUP and executives to get back to Stormont and we urge them to do so because the people of Northern Ireland deserve a fully functioning and locally elected executive which can respond to the issues facing the communities there."
Meanwhile, London has insisted it is not considering a joint authority arrangement with Dublin for the governance of Northern Ireland in the absence of the Stormont executive.
Both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Ms O'Neill have said there cannot be direct rule from London in the event of power-sharing not being restored.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office, which represents the British government in the North, said: "The UK government is absolutely clear that the consent principle governs the constitutional position of Northern Ireland.
"We will not countenance any arrangements that are inconsistent with that principle."
Reporting by: IRN
