Computer giant Dell has formally completed its multi-billion dollar takeover of cloud computing and IT security group EMC, positioning the company to use its size to invest in new areas and fend off competition from the cloud and other rivals.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has been sold for approximately $4 billion to a group led by Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG.

Staff at Dell and EMC’s Cork offices were yesterday brought up to speed with the ongoing merger of their two businesses, as Michael Dell flew in to address them.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Computer maker Dell has clinched a record $67bn (€59bn) technology deal to buy data storage company EMC.

Dell, the world’s third largest personal computer maker, is in talks to buy data storage company EMC, a person familiar with the matter said, in what could be one of the biggest technology deals ever.

In an interview with Michael Moynihan, former Kerry and Limerick manager, Mickey Ned O’Sullivan ponders "what would Padraig Pearse and his colleagues make of an Ireland like today’s? "

Conversations at Davos typically focus on the thousands of wealthy and powerful folk who trek to the Alps every January for the World Economic Forum.

Dell reported results that underscore the challenges facing the firm amid a decline in personal-computer sales, whatever the outcome of a vote next month on Michael Dell’s $24.9bn (€18.6bn) plan to go private.

Michael Dell won support from Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) for the $24.4bn (€19bn) buyout of his company, a surprise endorsement from an influential shareholder adviser.

Michael Dell, the founder of Dell, this week took the company private after seeing its share price plummet in recent years. Ireland, where the company employs about 2,000 people, will be watching on, hoping Dell’s fortunes can be revived, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

Dell, which intends to go private in a $24.4bn (€17.9bn) deal led by founder and CEO Michael Dell, plans to stick to its current turnaround strategy to diversify away from personal computers.

Computer giant Dell is to be bought back by its founder in a $24.4bn deal that sees it leave the stock market after 25 years.

Dell is in buyout talks with private equity firms, according to sources.

Dell Inc forecast fiscal fourth-quarter sales that missed analysts’ estimates as falling personal computer sales hamper the company’s efforts to diversify into more profitable products for data centres.

Dell forecast third-quarter revenues that missed analysts’ estimates as its personal computer business dwindles amid a slow global economic recovery and an influx of tablet computers that has eaten into sales.

Quest Software, which makes tools to help companies manage computer systems, has accepted a sweetened $2.17bn (€1.73bn) $25.75-a-share bid from Insight Venture Partners and agreed to the addition of Vector Capital to the buyout group.

Insight Venture Partners topped a $25.50-a-share bid that Quest Software received from an unidentified suitor, intensifying a takeover battle for the software maker, according to a person familiar with matter.

Dell tumbled the most in more than three years after the company forecast fiscal second-quarter revenue that missed analysts’ estimates.

There was no makeshift memorial or candlelight vigil for Steve Jobs at the Apple Store in downtown Chicago. The news of his death, and then the tributes and condolences, were in news alerts, tweets and messages pulsing through the gadgets inside.

COMPUTER company boss Michael Dell yesterday gave a morale-boosting talk to workers at a Limerick plant which shed 1,900 workers in 2009.

New York: Dell has agreed to pay $100m (€79.47m) to resolve a US regulator’s accounting fraud claims in an accord that lets founder Michael Dell remain chief executive after paying a $4m fine.

LIKE most people, I am annoyed by the expenses claimed by our public representatives.

The Dáil Public Accounts Committee, which monitors public spending, last week issued a scathing report on the travel abuses within Fás. The state training agency wrongly allowed executives and board members to travel first class since 1992.

YOU reported recently that the cost of flying Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Defence Minister Willie O’Dea to Texas to meet Michael Dell last December was more than €164,000, even though the cost per person on a scheduled service would have been less that €1,000. The Charvet shirt philosophy hasn’t gone away.

YOU report (February 3) that it cost us an astounding 164,000 to send Willie O’Dea and Mary Coughlan on the Government jet to Texas to plead with Michael Dell not to abandon Limerick.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has been urged to proceed with plans to travel to Limerick and hold talks to deal with the fallout from the Dell decision to shed 1,900 jobs in the city.

IT was mildly amusing to hear a Dell spokesman maintain that the 1,900 job losses were only decided on last weekend. I guess he would say that, wouldn’t he?

THE Government let down Dell workers by failing to properly prepare the mid-west for the computer giant’s long-expected partial pullout, opposition parties last night claimed.

Top European officials are to investigate a €50m aid package the Polish Government used to attract computer giant Dell away from Ireland, it was confirmed tonight.

Computer giant Dell is to axe 1,900 jobs at its flagship manufacturing plant in Limerick, the company confirmed today.

DEFENCE Minister Willie O’Dea expects an announcement from Dell “over the next day or two” on the future of the company’s Limerick plant.

AN announcement by Dell concerning the future of its Limerick operation is expected on Thursday.

FORMER Dell senior executive Nicky Hartery is understood to be leading a new business consortium which wants to take over the company’s Limerick plant and save its 3,000 jobs.

THE battle to save Dell in Limerick was lost last summer.

AN ACCLAIMED Co Limerick secondary school has won its battle to continue drawing students from the city suburbs.

LIMERICK has been hit with more job losses following huge lay-offs at Dell.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan said yesterday she is in constant contact with Dell in the US and Limerick amid speculation that the company may sell its Limerick plant along with the eight other manufacturing facilities around the world.

THE head of Dell’s global operations will today visit the company’s Limerick plant amid concerns about the long-term future of the facility, which employs 3,000.

SECONDARY school principal Noel Malone took special pride in the first year class of 2008 which yesterday enrolled at Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom.

One of the country’s largest employers, computer giant Dell, is to cut its Irish workforce by 250 as it strives to drive down costs and increase profits, it was revealed tonight.