Tuesday's crash prompted Gov. Izzat Saad of Luxor province to ban all hot air balloon flights until further notice.

CNN: Deadliest balloon crash in decades kills 19 in Egypt

Only his deputy, Izzat al-Douri, escaped capture and punishment in a war-crimes trial.

ECONOMIST: Iraq's uncertain future

The Iraqi delegation, led by Izzat Ibrahim, the vice-chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, had other reasons to feel discomfited.

ECONOMIST: The Arabs�� chat-show

"The two parties agreed to call on all Palestinian factions to implement the reconciliation agreement, " Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' political bureau and a participant in the Cairo talks, told the AFP news agency.

BBC: Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah agree on unity deal