The NBA Most Valuable Player award has been renamed The Michael Jordan Trophy.

The mining company that wants to extract an assortment of rare elements from under the ground in southeast Nebraska has announced a deal that will give it up to $285 million to help cover the roughly $1.1 billion cost of building the mine.

The mining company that wants to extract a rare heat-resistant element from the ground under southeast Nebraska says a new report shows the deposit it plans to mine holds a significant amount of other rare elements.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dru Smith scored the game-winner, banking a baseline drive reverse layup off the glass with 0.7 seconds on the clock and Missouri held on to defeat Florida 72-70 on Wednesday night for the Tigers’ first-ever win in Gainesville. Dru Smith scored 17 points and had nine assists and a season-high six steals to lead Missouri (15-7, 8-7 Southeastern Conference), Mitchell Smith scored 14 and Mark Smith 11. Tre Mann scored 21 points to lead Florida, Tyree Appleby added 12 with five assists and Noah Locke scored 11. The Gators committed 18 turnovers, leading to 25 Mizzou points, and saw a three-game win streak end. Mitchell Smith pushed the Tigers lead to 10, opening the second half with a 3-pointer.

Dru Smith and Missouri built a 22-point lead in the second half, then held off a frantic rally by the Crimson Tide for a 68-65 victory on Saturday. AdThe Crimson Tide had one last chance to tie it, but Jaden Shackelford’s contested 3-pointer at the buzzer missed. Shackelford scored 15 to lead Alabama (15-5, 10-1 SEC), whose first conference loss was almost an incredible comeback victory. Alabama is a volume 3-point shooting team, and when the Crimson Tide missed, Missouri started fast breaks with long rebounds. AdUP NEXTAlabama: The Crimson Tide travel to South Carolina on Tuesday.

Oregon forward Eugene Omoruyi (2) shoots a free throw against Missouri during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020 in Omaha, Neb. 21 Oregon, validating coach Cuonzo Martin's belief that a Tigers team that returned four starters is poised to move up in the Southeastern Conference. Xavier Pinson scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half and Missouri overcame a mid-game lull and late Oregon flurry to beat the Ducks 83-75 on Wednesday night. He and Martin squared off in Missouri Valley Conference games in the building from 2008-10 when Martin coached Missouri State. Oregon plays Seton Hall in Omaha on Friday.

MADRID – Spain has temporarily prohibited yachting across 100 kilometers (62 miles) of its northwestern coast after orca whales apparently got carried away while playing and damaged several sailboats. Spain’s transport ministry issued the week-long prohibition for sailboats under 15 meters (49 feet) long starting Tuesday. Biologist Bruno Díaz of the local Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute said the orcas were most likely just playing a bit too rough. We are not their natural prey,” Díaz told The Associated Press by phone Wednesday. Spanish television has shown footage taken by sailors of groups of orcas swimming extremely close to their boats.

Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. last week reported firearms sales jumped 140.9% to $229.9 million in its first quarter ended July 31. The firearms maker reported adjusted earnings of 97 cents a share for the quarter, up from just 3 cents in last years first quarter. Our news partner, Jacksonville Daily Record, reported Smith & Wesson tried to diversify its business with the acquisition of a Jacksonville company, Ultimate Survival Technologies, four years ago, but recent sales showed its growth comes from its roots as a pure-play firearms company. Smith & Wesson spun off its outdoor products accessories business into a separate public company called American Outdoor Brands Inc. That business also had a big sales increase in the first quarter, up 52.3% to $50.6 million. Our record revenue and unit sales during the quarter demonstrates our ability to rapidly respond to increased demand through our flexible manufacturing model and our state-of-the-art distribution facility, delivering outstanding products that resonate with the firearms consumer, Smith & Wesson CEO Mark Smith said in a news release.

CNN Money(CNN) - Gas prices in the northeast could rise after Philadelphia Energy Solutions announced it's closing the largest oil refinery on the East Coast. It's the 10th largest refinery in the US and refines about 335,000 barrels of crude oil a day, according to the company's website. AAA spokeswoman Jenifer Moore said the closure of the largest oil refinery on the East Coast will likely have an impact on gas prices in and around the region. "Today, Philadelphia Energy Solutions made the difficult decision to commence shutdown of the refining complex. PES Holdings, a unit of Philadelphia Energy Solutions and owner of the refinery, has experienced some financial challenges in the past.