Arrow ECS zeichnet IBM Software zum bestehenden IBM Hardwarevertrag

FÜRSTENFELDBRUCK, Germany–(Business Wire)–
Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions, ein Unternehmen der Arrow Electronics Inc.
[NYSE: ARW], bietet mit der Zeichnung des IBM Software Vertrages nun das
komplette Produktprogramm von IBM in Deutschland an.

Der IBM Software Vertrag ermöglicht Arrow ECS als Value Add Distributor über die
gesamte Produktpalette von IBM Software, inklusive dem IBM Passport Advantage
Produkt Portfolio anzubieten und ergänzt so den langjährig bestehenden IBM
Hardware Vertrag.

„Die Zeichnung des IBM Software-Vertrages ist ein wichtiger Schritt für uns, um
unseren Businesspartnern die Abwicklung von IBM-Projekten komplett anbieten zu
können.” meint Erik Walter, Geschäftsführer der Arrow ECS in Deutschland. “Der
Vertrag ermöglicht uns, unseren Partnern umfassende technische und vertriebliche
Beratung und Unterstützung für alle Bereiche zu offerieren.„

Arrow ECS stellt mit technischem Support und Konfigurationsunterstützung durch
das Storage Solution Center seinen Partnern eine Test- und Demoumgebung zur
Verfügung.

Ein kompetentes Team mit langjähriger Erfahrung setzt die angebotenen Services
im Bereich IBM Software um. Auf dem IBM Partnercamp im Juli in Stuttgart wird
Arrow ECS mit einem umfänglichen IBM-Serviceangebot und Ansprechpartnern vor Ort
sein. Alle Informationen unter www.arrowecs.de

ÜBER UNS ARROW ENTERPRISE COMPUTING SOLUTIONS

Arrow ECS, ein Geschäftsbereich von Arrow Electronics Inc. [NYSE: ARW], bietet
Enterprise-und Midrange-Computing-Produkte, Dienstleistungen und Lösungen für
Value-Added Reseller, Systemintegratoren und unabhängige Softwareanbieter. Mit
Sitz in Englewood, Colorado, und unterhält Niederlassungen in 26 Ländern
verbindet Arrow ECS seinen Kunden die weltweit führenden Technologie-Anbieter.
Arrow ECS gemeldet 4900000000 $ im weltweiten Enterprise-Computing-Lösung Umsatz
im Jahr 2009. Besuchen Sie für weitere Informationen ecs.arrow.com.

Arrow ECS
Dawn Small, 303-824-4188
Communications Manager
dsmall@arrow.com
or
Arrow ECS GmbH
Claudia Ketzer, +49 (0)8141/3536-808
claudia.ketzer@arrowecs.de

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Stosur falls to Henin in Stuttgart final

Samantha Stosur fell just short of winning her second straight WTA tournament on Sunday when she went down to former world number one Justine Henin in Stuttgart.

The seventh-seeded Australian lost 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the final, giving Henin a French Open boost.

Since ending her 18-month hiatus in January, Henin’s win was her first title in her third final since coming out of retirement, having last won here in 2007.

“It’s very emotional for me to win here,” said Henin.

“I never thought I would be back here again, not even a year ago.

“I have had a fantastic week and I can now say I will try to be back here next year.”

Henin, who has won seven Grand Slam titles, revealed she first had the idea to come back to tennis when she saw Roger Federer win at Roland Garros.

“To see Roger win the French Open last year, and keep fighting so hard, brought back the fire in me which had not been there for a long time before,” said the 27-year-old, who revealed her pet dog is named ‘Deuce’.

“I still have to work hard for the next few weeks, months and hopefully years.

“It was fantastic to get away from tennis, but it feels so good to be back and share all these emotions again.”

Henin’s 42nd title in her 60th final puts the former world number one back inside the world’s top 20 as she bids to win a fifth French Open title at Roland Garros which starts on May 23.

Stosur was contesting her second straight final, having won last month’s Charleston tournament, but she had her 11-match winning streak ended by Henin’s victory.

“It’s been a good week, I have really enjoyed playing here and it was nice to be back after a few years away,” said Stosur.

“It’s been a nice feeling to get into the final, but Justine was a bit too strong for me.

“In the third set she got really aggressive, put in some great returns which put me under pressure and she broke me three times in a row.

“That was the key to her win.”

Both Henin and Stosur, who is set to move up the rankings to eighth, reached the final as wildcard entrants, but Henin more than proved her credentials with victory over fellow ex-world number one Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-finals.

Henin made the crucial breakthrough in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead in the first set which she never relinquished having defended the single break point against her.

But in the second set, Stosur finally got the breakthrough she had worked for in the fifth game when Henin succumbed to allow the Australian a 4-2 lead and she then broke the Belgian again to take the set.

But Henin dug deep into her vast experience on clay and broke Stosur in the third game of the decider for a 3-1 lead and having broken her opponent twice more, Henin took the set and title in style.

Henin warms up for Roland Garros with Stuttgart win

Justin Henin won her first title since her comeback when she beat Australia’s Samantha Stosur in the final at the Stuttgart indoor tournament on Sunday.

It was the Belgian’s first tournament on clay, her favoured service on which she has won four French Open titles, since her return in January following a 19-month break.

Henin, runner-up at Brisbane and the Australian Open in January, won 6-4 2-6 6-1, three weeks before the start of Roland Garros.

Her last appearance at the French Open was in 2007 when she won her fourth title there.

(Reporting by Brian Homewood; Editing by Alison Wildey

To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Henin reaches third final since comeback

Justine Henin reached her third final in fourth months since her comeback when she brushed aside Shahar Peer in her semi-final at Stuttgart’s indoor clay tournament on Saturday.

The Belgian wild card, warming up for her first appearance at Roland Garros since winning her fourth French Open title there in 2007, won 6-3 6-2 and will meet Samantha Stosur in Sunday’s final.

The Australian, seeded seven, beat Russian qualifier Anna Lapushchenkova 7-5 6-3.

Henin has already reached the finals at Brisbane and the Australian Open since returning to action in January following a 19-month break from the game.

Peer hit back from an early service break to level at 2-2 but after that had little answer to the ruthless Henin, whose only problem was with her first serve.

“It has been a great performance,” Henin told reporters.

“I feel really comfortable at the moment and am enjoying being on the court, especially at one of my favourite tournaments.

“My coach will nevertheless tell me first about the mistakes I made. But he’ll also say that I was good enough today. And that I’m better when I’m playing aggressively and going to the net.

“My quarter-final was long and intense. I was a little tired especially as I didn’t sleep that well. But physically, I was fine.

World number 10 Stosur continued her unbeaten record on clay this year against the rank outsider.

“I had a little bit of trouble at the start,” she said.

“There were hardly any rallies and I couldn’t really get into the match.

“Anna made me work hard and I had difficulties working out how to play her. It wasn’t easy today.”

(Editing by Justin Palmer)

Henry reckons Messi as the best player around

London, Mar 19(ANI): Barcelona striker Thierry Henry reckons that no other football player in the world can come close to matching fellow team-mate Lionel Messi on current form.

Henry believes that Messi is currently playing better than last season.

The 22-year-old has now scored eight goals in just four games, and eight of his side”s last 11 goals.

“It”s kind of ridiculous what he”s doing. He”s amazing. I don”t know if you can say he”s playing better, but he”s maintaining what he was doing and playing at a level where nobody from Barcelona wants him to stop,” The Mirror quoted Henry, as saying.

Meanwhile, Stuttgart coach Christian Gross, whose side was thumped by Barcelona 4-0 to complete the line-up for the last eight, said there is no doubting that Messi is the best player in the world.

“His ability is incredible when you consider his age. I think it”s fair to compare him to Diego Maradona,” Gross added. (ANI)

Artificial liver, skin, intestine to revolutionise drug trials

Washington, June 26 (ANI): While animal drug trials have been facing huge criticism from ethical groups, scientists have now created artificial organs like liver, skin, intestine and windpipe that may revolutionise the way new medicines are being tested.

Developed by Professor Heike Mertsching of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart, in collaboration with Dr. Johanna Schanz, the test system should in future give pharmaceutical companies greater security and shorten the path to new drugs.

“Our artificial organ systems are aimed at offering an alternative to animal experiments. Particularly as humans and animals have different metabolisms. 30 per cent of all side effects come to light in clinical trials,” said Mertsching.

“The special feature, in our liver model for example, is a functioning system of blood vessels. This creates a natural environment for cells,” said Schanz.

Traditional models do not have this, and the cells become inactive.

“We don’t build artificial blood vessels for this, but use existing ones – from a piece of pig’s intestine,” said Schanz.

They remove all of the pig cells, but preserve the blood vessels. Then the human cells are seeded onto hepatocytes, which are responsible for transforming and breaking down drugs, and endothelial cells, which act as a barrier between blood and tissue cells.

In order to simulate blood and circulation, the researchers put the model into a computer-controlled bioreactor with flexible tube pump, developed by the IGB.

Thus the nutrient solution is fed in and carried away in the same way as in veins and arteries in humans.

“The cells were active for up to three weeks. This time was sufficient to analyze and evaluate the functions. A longer period of activity is possible, however,” said Schanz.

The researchers concluded that the cells work in a similar way to those in the body-they detoxify, break down drugs and build up proteins.

These are important pre-conditions for drug tests or transplants, as the effect of a substance can change when transformed or broken down.

Many drugs are only metabolised into their therapeutic active form in the liver, while others can develop poisonous substances.

The researchers have demonstrated the basic possibilities for use of the tissue models – liver, skin, intestine and windpipe.

Right now, the researchers are examining the test system, which could provide a safer alternative to animal experiments within two years. (ANI)

Mercedes compromise plan could end F1 budget row

Mercedes compromise plan could end F1 budget rowHamburg – Mercedes has come up with a compromise which could end in the Formula One budget cap row between the teams and the governing body FIA, British daily The Times reported on Thursday.

The Times said that Mercedes motorsport chief Norbert Haug has suggested a two-stage plan to reach the budget cap of around 45 million euros (63 million dollars).

The teams are said to have discussed the plan on the weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix and on Wednesday in London.

“Haug and his colleagues in Stuttgart have come up with a compromise proposal that appears to be flexible and subtle enough to satisfy the teams and Max Mosley, the president of the FIA,” said the paper.

“There was optimism last night that a deal could be in place in time for most, if not all of them, to enter next year’s championship by the FIA deadline of tomorrow (Friday).

FIA announced a budget cap for the 2010 season, which prompted Ferrari and others to threaten withdrawal from the sport. The official FIA deadline to register teams for 2010 is Friday.

Under the Mercedes plan, teams will be allowed to spend 100 million euros in 2010 and then reach the original cap in 2011.

Haug did not want to confirm his contribution, telling the German Press Agency dpa on Thursday: “It doesn’t matter who comes up with the plan as long as it is constructive and solves the problem.” (dpa)

Dinara Safina set to enjoy life at the top

Stuttgart – The pink birthday cake came at the right time as Dinara Safina likes to award herself with some unhealthy food for good things she has achieved.

Turning 23 on Monday, the Russian said that “I like to give something to myself” and to “celebrate every time when the opportunity is there.”

The birthday was one occasion, but Safina is also playing her first tennis tournament this week at the Porsche Grand Prix since taking the world number one ranking right days ago.

“It feels very good,” she said. “Staying number one is a challenge. But I want to enjoy the challenge.”

Safina was hailed as a big talent but spent a long time in the shadow of her brother Marat Safin who held the men’s top spot in 2000.

Safina failed to show her full potential, falling victim to her temper and poor tactics.

The man who changed all that to the better his Zeljko Krajan, a former Croatian player who became her coach in late 2007.

“I was lucky to find the person who opened my mind. He took me from number 17 to number one,” said Safina. “Before, I had the shots but didn’t use them as weapons.”

The breakthrough came 12 months ago in Berlin when Safina beat then number one Justin Henin and American Serena Williams en route to the title.

“Berlin changed everything,” said Safina, who went on to win three more titles in 2008 and also was a finalist at the French Open and Beijing Olympics.

Safina reached another big final at the Australian Open in January but was crushed there by Williams in a match which was also for the top ranking.

She failed again at several more occasions to earn the number one, but failed again “because I got too tight and suffered in matches. It was only about winning, I wasn’t as relaxed.”

The top spot finally came last week and the top seeded Safina must now prove her class in Stuttgart where she could meet Serbian Jelena Jankovic, another former number one and the defending champion, in the semi-finals.

Safina does also not mind all the obligations which come with the top spot: “It will be new but this is what I wanted. I wanted to be famous.”

The Porsche Grand Prix is the first official WTA clay court tournament held indoors as the buildup in Europe for the French Open starts in earnest.

Safina, who opens on Tuesday or Wednesday against Italy’s Sara Errani, said she feels comfortable as she has already played several Fed Cup ties indoors on the dirt.

But she is already looking beyond Stuttgart, well aware that she will only be fully recognized as a top act with a Grand Slam title.

“My mission is nit finished yet. I want to win a Grand Slam. I have to work hard but I think I can do it. I have been in finals,” Safina said. (dpa)

Five German online companies agree to obstruct child porn

Berlin – Five internet service providers agreed Friday in a
pact with German Family Affairs Minister Ursula von der Leyen to
obstruct access to sexual images of children.

German federal police are to compile daily surveys of child
pornography on the internet and pass on to the companies a list of up
to 1,000 websites worldwide which show images that would normally be
judged indecent in Germany.

Users who try to enter the websites from Germany will instead see
a red “stop” sign on the screen. The online companies expect to have
the blocking software operating within six months.

Officials said Germany was falling into line with Britain, the
United States, South Korea, the Scandinavian nations and others which
already routinely block access to child-sex websites.

The move aims to disrupt the trade in sexually explicit child
images and reduce pressure on children to pose for the photographs,
and is expected to block 300,000 to 400,000 attempts by Germans per
day to enter such websites.

Von der Leyen said there had been fierce opposition, but the five
heads of the companies had made an executive decision to end access
to “appalling” images that include videos of children being raped.

The five providers, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone/Arcor, Hanse Net,
Kabel Deutschland and Telefonica O2, provide 75 per cent of German
web access. Three other providers refused to join the initiative, on
the grounds that it was not prescribed under German law.

Among critics were the Chaos Computer Club, a Hamburg association
of people who explore loopholes in web security. “It will be very
easy to evade this filter,” said a club spokesman, Matthias Mehldau.

Other critics who gathered in Berlin claimed the move was a first
step to political censorship on the web. But the move has been
generally welcomed in the German media.

The previous day, German police detailed how they kept one online
community under surveillance for a full year and identified more than
9,000 computer users in 91 nations who had downloaded child-sex
images. Their names had been passed to police abroad.

About 1,000 of the users were in Germany, and so far 500 computers
had been seized in raids on homes and offices. Police spokesman Horst
Haug said in Stuttgart online communities would not be blocked by
filtering, so police surveillance of such groups would continue.
(dpa)

India’s Hero abandons joint venture with Daimler

Stuttgart – Hero Group, the Indian industrial conglomerate controlled by the Munjal family, has abandoned a project to jointly assemble Mercedes-Benz trucks with Daimler of Germany in Chennai, Daimler said Wednesday.

Left with 100 per cent of the project, Daimler said it would press ahead anyway.

A joint announcement by Hero and Daimler blamed the end of the joint venture on “the economic situation and the continuing weakness in demand in India” and said Hero Group would return the 40-per-cent stake it had earlier acquired from Daimler Trucks.

The statement quoted Hero Corporate Service chairman Said Sunil Kant Munjal saying, “Hero Group has decided to … continue to grow its core business and not to pursue the commercial-vehicles business at this time.”

Sources at Daimler said the German company was likely to seek another Indian partner.

Daimler Trucks said it plans investment in India or more than 700 million euros (925 million dollars) over the next four years. Sources said Daimler had been counting on Hero to supply nearly 500 million euros of that sum, but Hero was apparently short of free cash.

After the acquisition of the Hero shares, the company, currently known as Daimler Hero Commercial Vehicles Ltd, will be renamed.

The new company will initially produce light, medium, and heavy- duty commercial vehicles for the Indian volume market.

The top trucks executive at Daimler, Andreas Renschler, said the setback “gives us more time” since the vehicles would not come to market in an economic downturn, but Daimler’s intentions in India had not changed.

Production of trucks for export from India to other emerging regions would also be delayed. About 280 people have already been employed at the Chennai plant, which is projected to turn out up to 70,000 trucks yearly for India’s roads.

Hero Group’s most recent turnover was more than 4 billion dollars annually. A joint venture between Hero and Honda is believed to be the world’s biggest manufacturer of motorcycles. (dpa)

Opel working on natural gas-hybrid system

Russelsheim, Germany – Opel is working on a compressed natural gas (CNG) hybrid drive system in cooperation with car parts supplier Bosch and the University of Stuttgart to combine a turbo engine with an electric motor.

A prototype based on an Astra Caravan and equipped with a start- stop-system achieved a carbon dioxide emission figure of just 90 grammes per kilometre, the car maker said.

The three-litre combustion engine has an output of 71 kW/97 hp. The electric motor supplied by Bosch add an additional 35 kW. Opel currently offers the Zafira CNG Turbo with an output of 150 hp and C02 emissions of 144 g/km. The Ampera, based on the Chevy Volt, is scheduled for European markets in 2011. It is fitted with both a combustion engine and electric motor. (dpa)

Serena recovers from horror start in Miami

Serena recovers from horror start in MiamiMiami – Serena Williams retained a grip on her top ranking with a crucial victory over China’s Li Na, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Masters on Wednesday.

The top seed and three-time champion at Crandon Park must get to the final to ensure that she remains on atop the WTA table. If she loses on Thursday to the winner from her sister Venus or Czech Iveta Benesova, then Russian Dinara Safina takes steps up to the summit.

Williams, playing in only her fifth event of the season, put on a horror-show first set, dropping to 0-5 against China’s number 40 who neat her last year in Stuttgart.

But the powerful American was able to turn the tables as the Chinese faltered, with Williams running it out in the final set despite a total of 37 unforced errors and conversions on just four of ten break points. (dpa)

Friedrich a doubt for Germany with thigh strain

Stuttgart – Arne Friedrich is a doubt for Germany’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Wales after picking up a thigh strain in Hertha Berlin’s 2-0 loss Saturday to VfB Stuttgart.

“I wasn’t able to walk or jump anymore,” said Friedrich, who was replaced after 25 minutes and will now undergo a scan Sunday to assess the seriousness of the injury.

Germany play Liechtenstein next Saturday before taking on Wales four days later. (dpa)

Daimler confirms desire to sell Chrysler stake

Stuttgart – Daimler of Germany confirmed Tuesday its desire to sell the one-fifth of US automaker Chrysler which it still owns after their unhappy marriage.

“We continue to be interested in selling the 19.9 per cent,” said a spokeswoman in Stuttgart, the same day as Chrysler and Fiat announced a preliminary agreement to merge.

The German carmaker’s talks with private-equity investor Cerberus on a sale of the stake ground to a stop last autumn, when Cerberus demanded compensation from the Germans in connection with the earlier sale of the majority of Chrysler shares.

Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche said in Detroit last week that his Stuttgart-based company was willing to talk again to Cerberus. The spokewosman said Tuesday the companies had never broken off contact with one another.

She declined comment on Fiat’s negotiations to take a stake in Chrysler, but said the German company welcomed any move with the potential to stabilize Chrysler’s position and save jobs there.

Daimler controlled Chrysler for over a decade, but sold out when the US maker’s losses started to mount again. Cerberus claims it was misled about the true extent of Chrysler’s problems before the sale. (dpa)

Porsche to temporarily halt production because of slump

Porsche to temporarily halt production because of slumpStuttgart – Porsche joined other German carmakers Saturday in announcing a temporary halt to production because of dwindling sales triggered by the global economic crisis.

A spokesman for the sports carmaker in Stuttgart said the company was extending the Christmas holiday period for workers by three days.

He said the company’s main plant at Zuffenhausen would remained closed from December 22 until January 9, 2009.

A spokesman confirmed media reports that if sales do not pick up, Porsche might transfer some of the production of its Boxster model from its Finnish partner Valmet to Germany.

On Monday, Daimler AG announced plans to shut down work for about four weeks over Christmas at key plants, including one producing its flagship luxury Mercedes-Benz cars.

The move followed similar announcements by General Motors, maker of Opel cars, and luxury carmaker BMW.

The deepening economic gloom resulted in European car sales slumping to their lowest level in a decade in September, according to the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Despite the downturn, Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest automaker, looks set to invest 3.2 billion euros (4.1 billion dollars) in new components plants in Germany, China and North America.

The trade magazine Auto Motor und Sport said the VW board was expected to approve the plan at a meeting on November 14.

The plant in China would produce transmission systems, while one at Kassel in Germany would make electric motors for hybrid cars, the report said Saturday. (dpa)

BMW and Daimler to idle car plants as sales crash

Stuttgart – Daimler is to idle factories for five weeks because world sales of its Mercedes cars have slumped, a newspaper reported on Sunday, quoting a company spokesman.

The report came as Germany’s other main premium car manufacturer, BMW, announced a four-day standstill at one of its car plants, in Leipzig, eastern Germany, amid signs that the world recession will be worse than so far feared.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung said the Mercedes closure would begin in mid-December, but gave no precise date. It said stocktaking would take place on December 12 and plants would not re-open before an annual holiday break at Christmas. Plants re-open on January 12.

Approached by Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, a spokesman declined comment.

Daimler said several days ago it was severely paring back its 2008 sales targets and saving where it could. Its third-quarter earnings of 648 million euros (816 million dollars) were sharply down from the 1.9 billion euros of one year earlier.

At the start of August Daimler had spoken of cancelling shifts or complete days of output at its car plants in Germany and Tuscaloosa in the United States.

BMW said the four-day halt at Leipzig, which makes 1 Series and 3 Series cars, would reduce its output by 2,800 cars. Monthly wages will be unchanged, but personnel will lose overtime credits from the past.

BMW’s three brands, BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce, suffered a 15-per- cent fall in sales in September in annual terms.

US sales slumped one quarter, paring world sales to 121,000 vehicles for the month.

The German auto industry weekly Automobilwoche said German BMW dealers were demanding a 20-per-cent cut in their contractual allocation of BMW cars for the months from July to December this year.

In its issue to appear Monday, it said angry dealers walked out of a meeting with BMW after warning they could not afford to accept more cars into unsold stock.

General Motors’ German arm, Opel, has also announced output cuts, as have Volkswagen’s Spanish subsidiary Seat and Czech subsidiary Skoda.

An Opel plant at Bochum closed last Monday for two weeks, like General Motors Europe plants in the Belgian city of Antwerp and the British town of Ellesmere Port. dpa

Daimler in talks to sell remaining Chrysler stake

Daimler in talks to sell remaining Chrysler stake Stuttgart – German automotive group Daimler confirmed Wednesday it was in talks to sell its remaining Chrysler stake and finish the story of its unhappy merger with its US rival.

In a statement from its main office in Stuttgart, it said it was in “discussions with Cerberus Capital Management regarding the redemption of its remaining 19.9-per-cent stake in Chrysler.”

Private-equity investor Cerberus owns the other 80.1 per cent of Chrysler.

A Daimler spokesman in New York, Han Tjan, declined to give further details.