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Amazon suspends commercial drone deliveries in Texas, Arizona after two crashes in rainy weather

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Amazon suspends commercial drone deliveries in Texas, Arizona after two crashes in rainy weather


Amazon has temporarily suspended its commercial drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona after two of its latest MK30 models crashed in rainy weather at a testing facility.

The company announced on Friday that it was pausing the program to implement software updates to ensure the safety of its fleet.

The crashes, which occurred in December at Amazon’s Pendleton, Ore. testing site, were attributed to a software malfunction caused by light rain.

Amazon has temporarily suspended its commercial drone delivery operations in Texas and Arizona. Amazon

One of the drones caught fire upon impact.

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Although an Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg News that the crashes were not the “primary reason” for the pause, the company declined to specify other issues being addressed in the software update.

Amazon’s MK30 drones had been delivering packages in College Station, Texas, and Tolleson, Ariz. after the company won approval from the Federal Aviation Administration in October.

Last summer, the mayor of College Station sent a strongly worded letter to the FAA to protest Amazon’s drones and their noise levels, which some locals likened to a “giant hive of bees.”

The six-propeller model is designed to be lighter, quieter and capable of flying in light rain — a feature now under scrutiny.

“We’re currently in the process of making software changes to the drone and will be voluntarily pausing our commercial operations,” Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson told Bloomberg News.

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The company announced on Friday that it was pausing the program to implement software updates to ensure the safety of its fleet. Amazon

“Deliveries will resume once the updates are completed and approved by the FAA.”

Employees at the affected drone sites will continue to be paid during the suspension.

The decision marks another setback for Amazon’s Prime Air, which has struggled for over a decade to expand its drone delivery service.

Despite regulatory milestones, including FAA clearance to fly beyond an operator’s visual line of sight, the program remains in limited trials.

Amazon completed its first test flight in Italy last month and is seeking approvals for operations in the UK.

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In addition to the December crashes, a previously unreported incident in September saw two Amazon drones collide due to operator error.

David Carbon, Vice President of Prime Air, talks about the new MK30 Prime Air drone in Sumner, Washington on Oct. 18, 2023. AFP via Getty Images

According to an FAA report, the company was testing the MK30’s response to motor failure when a second drone was mistakenly launched on a collision course.

The drones crashed midair and spiraled to the ground. Amazon has since revised its operating procedures and training protocols.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating both the September and December crashes.

Amazon maintains that such tests are essential for improving drone safety.

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“The purpose of these tests is to push our aircraft past their limits — it would be irresponsible not to do that,” Stephenson said.

The suspension marks another setback for Amazon’s Prime Air, which has struggled for over a decade to expand its drone delivery service. Amazon

Amazon’s drone program has encountered multiple safety concerns in recent years.

A Bloomberg investigation previously documented five crashes in 2021, including one that caused a brushfire.

The FAA recorded at least four additional crashes in 2022, three due to sudden power loss.

In November 2023, Amazon temporarily halted operations after an MK27-2 drone crashed when its battery failed mid-flight.

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As Amazon works to refine its technology, it remains uncertain whether the company will be able to overcome its setbacks and make drone delivery a permanent mainstay.



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Haitian man detained at Arizona ICE facility dies in US custody, brother says

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Haitian man detained at Arizona ICE facility dies in US custody, brother says


FLORENCE, AZ (AP) — A Haitian man confined at an Arizona immigration detention center for months died at a hospital Monday after a tooth infection was left untreated, the man’s brother said Wednesday.

Emmanuel Damas, 56, told medical personnel at the Florence Correctional Center that he had a toothache in mid-February, but he was not sent to a dentist, said Damas’ brother, Presly Nelson.

Nelson believes the staff at the facility did not take his brother’s complaints seriously, even though it was a treatable condition. Nelson said he would expect such a death in countries with less access to health care, but not in the United States.

“As a country — I’m an American now — I think we can do better than that,” Nelson said.

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Damas is among at least nine people who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this year.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. ICE had said it hoped to issue a news release Wednesday.

Earlier Wednesday, ICE officials announced the death of Mexican national Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes, who had been in a California ICE detention center and died in the hospital Feb. 27 after reporting chest pain and shortness of breath.

Chandler City Council member Christine Ellis, a Haitian American who is a registered nurse, said she was contacted by Damas’ family after his death.

“As a medical person, I am absolutely appalled that there were medical-licensed people that were working there and allowed those things to happen,” Ellis said. “It does not make sense to me.”

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A report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Damas’ cause of death as “pending” as of Wednesday.

Damas was taken into ICE custody in September and was soon transferred to the medium-security Florence Correctional Center, where he was held for several months, including after his asylum application was denied, Ellis said.

CoreCivic, a for-profit corrections company that runs the Florence facility, did not respond to emails seeking comment.

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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.



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3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon

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3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon


PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Three Valley men have been sentenced for their roles in what prosecutors described as a “sophisticated fraud scheme” against an online shopping giant.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Mughith Faisal, 29, of Glendale, was sentenced on Feb. 5 to 18 months in prison. His brother, Basheer Faisal, 28, of Glendale, was also recently ordered to spend 18 months in prison.

The feds said a third defendant in the case, Abdullah Alwan, 28, of Surprise, was sentenced to six months in prison after the trio pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Prosecutors said the three were also each ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution to Amazon.

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According to federal officials, Alwan worked in Amazon’s logistics division and left the company in 2021 when he reportedly used his knowledge to manipulate rates for transportation deliveries assigned to Amazon’s third-party carriers.

The feds said Basheer and Mughith Faisal used “Blue Line Transport” to knowingly get to increased transport rates that Alwan would then input into Amazon’s system, ripping them off out of $4.5 million.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division helped in the investigation, which was then prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

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Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.



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Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

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Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026


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The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:

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Winning Mega Millions numbers

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

2-0-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

02-05-18-27-41

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Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

11-14-17-19-23-24

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

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What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

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  • 5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
  • 5 white balls = $1 million.
  • 4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
  • 4 white balls = $100.
  • 3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
  • 3 white balls = $7.
  • 2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
  • 1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
  • 1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

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Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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