The “soul of America” remains at stake, outgoing President Joe Biden warned ahead of delivering his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, just days before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

The 82-year-old Democrat will give his speech at 8:00 PM (01:00 GMT Thursday) during prime time from the Oval Office.

In advance, he released a letter to the American people, indirectly criticizing the 78-year-old Republican without naming him directly.

“I ran for president because I believed the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was on the line. And that remains true today,” Biden wrote. “History is in your hands. Power is in your hands. The idea of America is in your hands. We just have to keep the faith and remember who we are,” he added.

Biden claimed that the United States is stronger now than it was four years ago, citing what he described as its recovery from Trump’s first term, the COVID-19 pandemic, and “the worst attack on democracy since the Civil War.”

Biden took office just days after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters attempting to overturn his electoral defeat.

While Biden did not mention Trump by name, his remarks echoed themes from previous speeches, where he stated that he ran in the 2020 election because America’s “soul” was in danger due to Trump and his followers.

Canadian business leaders met with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday to express strong interest in increasing their investments in the country. This initiative aligns with a joint effort to strengthen the region under the framework of the North American trade agreement (USMCA).

Francisco Cervantes, President of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), highlighted the participation of the top 10 Canadian entrepreneurs, who discussed strategies to boost key sectors.

He also emphasized that Mexico is fostering an unprecedented climate of trust to attract foreign investment, with better-paid jobs as one of the main objectives.

“The government, led by the president, is doing exceptional work to establish Mexico as an attractive destination for investors,” Cervantes stated. “We are working together to develop a tariff plan with the United States to ensure that negotiations are favorable for all parties involved,” added the CCE president.

The rate of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections, which is similar to the flu, in northern China is decreasing, a health official said on Sunday, amid international concern about a potential pandemic.

HMPV, which belongs to the same family as the human respiratory syncytial virus, causes symptoms similar to the flu or a cold, such as fever, cough, and nasal congestion. Symptoms often resolve on their own, although they can lead to lower respiratory tract infections in children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

“Human metapneumovirus is not a new virus and has been with humans for at least several decades,” said Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, during a press conference by the National Health Commission of China.

Wang added that the recent increase in cases of the virus, first detected in the Netherlands in 2001, is due to better detection methods.