Buzzfeed loses appeal over exspy’s evidence

Buzzfeed has lost an appeal over a ruling on evidence to be given in a libel case regarding a former British spy who prepared a dossier alleging links between US president Donald Trump and Russia.

Christopher Steele’s lawyers argued that giving oral evidence by way of a deposition could put future intelligence sources at great risk.

The litigation involves a defamation claim brought by Russian businessman Aleksej Gubarev against Buzzfeed over its publication of the dossier, which consists of a number of memoranda produced by Mr Steele or his company Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd.

Lawyers for Mr Gubarev, who is also suing Mr Steele for libel in the UK, have said that the scope of the questioning would not seek to expose sources.