Madrid  - A work stoppage by judges and judicial secretaries Tuesday paralyzed a large part of Spain's court system.

The judiciary was protesting what it saw as government interference in its work and a lack of resources.

Judicial secretaries stopped working for three hours and judges, who were not allowed to stage a formal work stoppage, held meetings during that time.

The protesters were accusing Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government of interference in urging the highest judges' organ to adopt stronger sanctions against a Seville judge for failing to jail a paedophile who then killed a five-year-old girl in January.

Madrid- The Spanish public prosecutor's office Monday appealed against an unprecedented judicial investigation into the crimes committed by dictator Francisco Franco, who ruled the country from 1939 to 1975 after winning the 1936-39 civil war.

National Court judge Baltasar Garzon was not competent to investigate disappearances of Franco's opponents, which could only be handled by courts in the regions where they occurred, the prosecutors argued in the appeal lodged at the same court.

Madrid - Spain's economic crisis has spurred the demand for precious stones, especially large diamonds, gemologist Adolfo de Basilio said Friday.

Madrid - People may marry for love, but divorce is about money, as Spain's deepening economic crisis is making clear.

This year's slowdown and the credit crunch affecting banks are cutting divorce rates, Madrid divorce lawyer Antonio Prada says, estimating the decrease at 30 per cent so far.

"It has become extremely difficult for couples wanting to divorce to sell their home at a reasonable price, and the crisis is also making it harder to maintain two separate households," Prada told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Lima