Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan, the largest country in the South Caucasus, has always been in the spotlight of attention due to its abundant history and cultural heritage. From the ancient times to the present day the country has played an important role in the political and economic life of the region. Sustainable development has brought a new status and allowed it to go beyond the regional scope and fill the ranks of much respected countries of the world. Huge multi-faceted projects implemented in Azerbaijan have always cast the country into international limelight. One of these tremendous projects has brought standing ovation to Azerbaijan. It became the greatest development of the past years in the country's history - Azerbaijan opened a path into space by launching its first-ever national satellite.

Construction of the Azerspace/Africasat-1 satellite had a projected cost of about $250 million and was to be carried out by US-based company Orbital Sciences Corporation. In April 2011, Export-Import Bank of the United States approved financing of the project; 85 percent of the construction cost is provided to the Azerbaijani side as a loan, while the remaining 15 percent is covered by state funds.

Read more about it in AZERNEWS online newspaper's print edition published on April 26.

Also, in the new edition you can read about the visit of Latvian President Andris Berzins to Azerbaijan, new efforts of protection of gasoline consumers in Azerbaijan, the possibility of setting up hybrid power plants across the country, etc.

The readers will also be familiarized with ancient Azerbaijani traditions of tea drinking and the beautiful northern region of Khachmaz.

AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).