14:21⇢Ábalos Denies His Own Voice
⌨The newspapers report on Ábalos' judicial appearance where he disavowed the corruption charges and claimed not to recognize his voice in incriminating audio recordings, citing "personal tension" during their creation (El Confidencial, El País, La Razón, Público, RTVE). The Supreme Court judge rejected prosecution requests to jail both Ábalos and his associate Koldo, keeping them free while investigations continue (El País, La Razón, Público). A separate diplomatic clash emerged as NATO Secretary-General Rutte directly contradicted Sánchez's claims about defense spending exemptions, insisting Spain must reach 3.5% of GDP for military commitments rather than the 2.1% Sánchez negotiated (El Español, El Periódico, Libertad Digital, 20minutos).