Milan Dinić

This plugin automatically disables WordPress Events and News widget from the dashboard. By removing, you also prevent all external requests widgets makes so that it can work.
It is a very lightweight, it has no settings, just activate it and it works immediately.
And it’s on <a href="https://github.com/dimadin/disable-wordpress-events-and-news-dashboard-widget" rel="nofollow ugc">GitHub</a>.

Disable WordPress Events and News Dashboard Widget

Disable WordPress Events and News widget from the dashboard.

Enej Bajgorić

ctlt-dev

ubcdev

Aleksandar Arsovski

The plugin allows the user to write a message for a new widget box that appears at the top of the dashboard. 
This can be accomplished on both a site and network level. The site level options are available on the site’s 
dashboard settings tab called “Dashboard Message”, while the network level options are found on the Network 
Settings tab on the Network Admin dashboard. Network level messages are displayed after site level messages 
in the message box.
The header of the dashboard box/widget is “Welcome, (user’s display name goes here)” by default.
1.0.2 UPDATE: The dashboard message now appears on the global dashboard as well. Pushed out network level entry field bug fixes as well.
1.1.0 UPDATE: The plugin now also enables you to REMOVE any dashboard widgets you wish to from any of the dashboards. This means that you can disable network, site, and global dashboard widgets.
Network and global (the dashboard new users without a blog/site typically see) dashboard widgets can be removed through the “Network Settings” page (Network Dashboard -> Settings -> Network Settings).
Site dashboard widgets can be removed from both the “Network Settings” page and from the “Dashboard Message” settings page (Dashboard -> Settings -> Dashboard Message). PLEASE NOTE that if a site dashboard widget is disabled through the network settings, site admins will not be able to re-enable it through the “Dashboard Message” settings page.
1.1.1 UPDATE: Optimization.
1.1.2 UPDATE: Small bug fix.
GOALS FOR FUTURE UPDATES:
Colour options would be great to add for a customized look.
Please NOTE: Some users may not have the Welcome box appear at the top of the Dashboard. This usually happens 
if the user has rearranged the boxes on the Dashboard previously.
–This widget was developed with the help of the WordPress Codex, Tutorials, and Help Forums–

WP Dash Message

Add a welcome message dashboard widget and remove any WordPress dashboard widgets with this plugin.

Disable WordPress Events and News Dashboard Widget vs WP Dash Message