Jack Dorsey introduced the world to expressing itself in just 140 characters as the creator of Twitter Inc, and his payments company, Square Inc, also likes getting straight to the point. Square's purchase of Australian buy now, pay later provider Afterpay Ltd for $29 billion in stock, the largest ever acquisition by Dorsey's firm, was consummated within three months, said four people with knowledge of the deal talks. As the business boomed in the past year, Afterpay fielded takeover interest from six potential buyers, including U.S. consumer banks, one of the sources said, but Square made more sense as the companies were already exploring services tie-ups.

Aug. 3—Cases of COVID-19 are at their highest level since March as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread. Cobb-Douglas Public Health Director Dr. Janet Memark told the MDJ Monday that the rise in cases that began in early July is mostly attributable to the variant. It's estimated that Delta accounts for more than 80% of COVID-19 casesin the state, she said. The people at ...

China's technology and chip sectors came under fresh selling pressure on Tuesday after state media attacked the country's largest social media and video game firm, Tencent Holdings Ltd, and regulators said they are launching an investigation into chip distributors in the auto industry. The broadside comes days after the securities regulator and state media sought to soothe investor fears over the pace and breadth of market reform. Actually we are shifting our exposure to some sectors like manufacturing or electric vehicles, or some consumption brand names because they would be less policy-sensitive.

Aug. 3—City, county, business and health care leaders have a decision to make on whether entities in the Grand Forks community should join a national wellness organization's plan that aims to improve residents' and workers' physical and mental well-being while saving money in the process. Local leaders, at a roundtable meeting Monday, Aug. 1, at the Alerus Center, heard a pitch from ...

Aug. 3—Grand Forks is set to further explore a $1 million deal with a Utah-based aquarium company. City Council members voted 5-1 on Tuesday to continue moving forward with a $1 million grant to SeaQuest, an Idaho-based company that hopes to set up an aquarium in the Grand Cities Mall and could be an economic boon for a city where retail business has been declining for years and whose business ...