Thursday's news headlines in Northern Ireland: DUP warning, EU responds and Tour de France

Katie Andrews has your latest news headlines from Northern Ireland.

DUP warns it will not nominate ministers until Protocol resolved

The DUP has again insisted it will not nominate ministers until the Northern Ireland Protocol is replaced with an alternative unionists can support.

That's what party representatives told the Prime Minister at a meeting in Downing Street. Meanwhile Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill has said she is ready to lead a new Executive now. It comes after the Secretary of State says he will call an election if there is no Executive by the end of the month.

EU will respond 'comprehensively'

The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister has said the EU is prepared to respond "comprehensively" to unionist concerns over the Protocol.

Simon Coveney said negotiations were continuing in a "positive light" over the protocol but didn't think anything would emerge before next Friday's deadline. His comments came after meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary in Belfast.

Joint bid to host opening stages of Tour de France

Northern Ireland and the Republic are considering making a joint bid to host the opening stages of the Tour de France. Officials have said they'll work together to investigate the potential to host the event in either 2026 or 2027. Ireland hosted Le Grand Depart in 1998, while Northern Ireland hosted a stage of the Giro D'Italia eight years ago.

New park opens

A new multi-million pound park will open in west Belfast later today. Events space and an outdoor gym are just some of the key features at the park on the Stewartstown Road. The project - which cost £5.6 - was funded by the Executive Office's Urban Villages Initiative and the Department for Communities.

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