Europe is getting tougher on government debt. After more than two years struggling to rescue financially shaky governments, leaders of the 17 countries that use the euro are ready to agree on a treaty that will force member countries to put deficit limits into their national laws.

At first glance, it seems logical — after all, the crisis erupted after too many governments spent and borrowed too much for too long.

A raft of Western economic sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program are increasingly stifling the lives of ordinary Iranians, hit by rising inflation and growing isolation.

EU and U.S. banking sanctions put in place 18 months ago, and reinforced on Monday, have fuelled Iran's runaway inflation and triggered a collapse in the value of the rial, with implications for the country's residents and diaspora.

Crude prices were steady Friday amid a sliding U.S. dollar and expectations that Europe will be able to find oil elsewhere if Iran makes good on its threat to immediately halt exports to the region.

Benchmark crude for March delivery was up 6 cents at $99.76 a barrel at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 30 cents to finish at $99.70 per barrel on the Nymex on Thursday.

Nearly three-quarters of Germans oppose putting more money into the eurozone's rescue fund, according to a new poll.

The International Monetary Fund is among those advocating an increase in the €500 billion ($650 billion) European Stability Mechanism, which is to start work in July. Chancellor Angela Merkel is already holding out against the idea.

Europe's financial chiefs tried Friday to soothe the fears of global chief executives and other political leaders, insisting they have a handle on the eurozone's troubles.

European Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said Friday he hopes a Greek debt restructuring deal would be reached "if not today maybe by the weekend."

Abu Dhabi-owned carrier Etihad Airways said on Thursday it has ordered two more Airbus A330-200Fs in a deal worth $423 million at list prices.

"We are strongly committed to building our presence in the cargo sector with the platform of Abu Dhabi as our hub to connect global trade lanes," Etihad Airways chief James Hogan said in a statement.

The central bank of sanctions-hit Iran is to enforce a single exchange rate after a dramatic slide in the value of the Iranian rial on the open market, state television reported on Thursday.

"From Saturday, there will be a single fixed rate for the dollar which will be 12,260 rials," central bank governor Mahmoud Bahmani announced on television.

Greece resumed talks Thursday with banks and insurers on an elusive deal for a major writedown of its debt in order to escape a looming default.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos met Thursday evening with the lead negotiators of the private creditors, Charles Dallara and Jean Lemierre, for what was described as "informal discussions".

Algeria said Thursday it will not boost crude oil exports in the event Iran suddenly cuts supplies to Europe after the EU imposed new sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear drive.

"We have a program in place that won't be modified," Energy Minister Youcef Yousfi told Algerian news service APS.

Leaders of the war against hunger said Thursday the financial crisis must not be used as an excuse by the richer world to renege on commitments, warning a failure to act would fuel unrest and immigration.

Ministers, business leaders and U.N. officials gathered at the annual Davos forum said that while the world was now producing more food than ever, there were also more mouths to feed and that a billion people were afflicted by hunger.