Urgent talks on Turkish economic crisis

The prime minister of Turkey, Bulent Ecevit, has spent hours in an emergency meeting with banking officials discussing the country's deepening economic crisis.

The Turkish stock exchange recorded its biggest-ever one-day loss on Wednesday, amid continuing financial turmoil caused by a public row between Mr Ecevit and the Turkish president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

The main share index has now lost a third of its value since Monday.

Mr Ecevit left his meeting at one point but made no comment to reporters.

Earlier, he said his government would stick by its tough anti-inflation programme backed by the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF said it was waiting to hear what the Turkish authorities intended to do.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service