Main News of June 20

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* Following his failed bid to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex crime accusations, WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange has taken refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London and is seeking political asylum in the South American nation, British media said

* British space company Excalibur Almaz has announced its readiness to send tourists on a much-coveted trip to the Moon as early as in 2015

RUSSIA

* The St. Petersburg City Court sentenced two university professors to long prison terms for selling military secrets to China, including sensitive data on Russia's Bulava missile system

* Russia has got its first legitimate ultra-right party, after the Russian Nationwide Union was registered with the Justice Ministry

BUSINESS

* An American company has signed up to buy ten Russian-made Beriev Be-200 amphibian aircraft for use in the fire-fighting “airtanker” role, in a breakthrough contract to the U.S. market for the plane

* The well-known online auction and shopping website eBay has opened its representative office in Russia, eBay Marketplaces, that will be headed by Vladimir Dolgov, a former Google manager in Russia, Vedomosti daily reported