EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, The Journal brings you the five biggest stories of the day.

1. #COVID-19: Demand for PCR tests is “extremely high” across the country with limited availability in many areas.

2.#ANSWERS: Families impacted by the valproate scandal in Ireland are still waiting for a promised inquiry to begin, over a year after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly committed to holding an inquiry into the historical licencing and use of the anti-epileptic drug.

3. #TRAVEL CHAOS: Omicron is wreaking havoc on holiday travel, with over 2,100 flights cancelled worldwide today.

4.#BALRATH WOODS: Gardaí appealed for witnesses after a man was stabbed a number of times in the Balrath Woods area of Burtonstown in Co Meath last night.

5. #TRANS ISSUES: Taoiseach Micheál Martin admitted that his Government needs to “work harder and better” at providing more supports to transgender teenagers, saying there are many young people in Ireland who are not getting the support they need.