With the South African Protea Esports Team for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang title having laid waste to all its opponents in its group (Namibia and Congo), the Proteas now have to do battle against Madagascar.

Madagascar has also won all its matches in its group having beaten both Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

Thus to see which country earns its place to represent Southern Africa at the prestigious IESF World Esports Championships – WEC25 – the two titans will meet on the field of battle.

The winner of this clash on 23 July 2025 will see only one country emerge to represent Southern Africa at IESF’s WEC25.

Thus, there is much at stake, honour, prestige, and a nation’s pride!

The match is a thrilling best-of-five games in which, all MSSA is confident that the Proteas will emerge victorious!

As usual the dedicated team from Waylander Gaming will stream the match on https://youtube.com/@waylander_gaming at 19H00.

The battle hardened veteran team of Protea athletes for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang esports title are:

In a move that bridges academia and the creative industries, Comic Con India and the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on initiatives across animation, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR). The agreement was signed by Ashish Kulkarni, Board Member, IICT, and Shefali Johnson, CEO of Comic Con India, during the inauguration of the IICT-NFDC Campus and the release of the WAVES Outcome Report in Mumbai.

The event was attended by senior government leaders including Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra; Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Honourable Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India; and Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.

Comic Con India is the country’s premier pop culture celebration and the largest platform for fans and creators of comics, gaming, animation, cosplay, movies, and all things geek culture. Since its inception, it has become a cultural phenomenon, bringing together millions of fans through annual events across multiple cities.Now part of NODWIN Gaming’s growing portfolio of youth-focused IPs, Comic Con India continues to champion original content and homegrown talent, playing a pivotal role in shaping India’s pop culture landscape and providing young creators with a vibrant stage to showcase their work.

IICT, a National Centre of Excellence exclusively dedicated to the AVGC-XR sector, was announced in May 2025 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with industry bodies FICCI and CII.

Positioned to be a game-changer for India’s creative industries, IICT is envisioned to follow the successful model of India’s prestigious IITs and IIMs, offering world-class education, training, and industry exposure to aspiring students.

This strategic partnership brings together Comic Con India’s legacy of building fan-first platforms for creators with IICT’s national mandate to foster next-generation talent across creative disciplines. The collaboration aims to offer students immersive opportunities to showcase their work, engage with industry leaders, and participate in real-world creative environments.

Key highlights of the MoU include:

• Student engagement at Comic Con India events, with a dedicated IICT Creative Showcase zone

• Masterclasses and guest lectures by industry professionals from the comics, gaming, animation, and XR fields

• Hackathons, design jams, and content showcases to promote original IP development

• Internships and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities for IICT students at Comic Con India

• Initiatives to grow India’s grassroots creator ecosystem, with a focus on youth, fan art, and indie content.

Shefali Johnson, CEO of Comic Con India, said, “We are proud to collaborate with IICT as part of the broader AVGC-XR vision for India, and we are excited about the positive impact this partnership will have in nurturing homegrown creative talent—especially in the field of comics. This collaboration is about creating meaningful pathways for IICT students to engage directly with the industry. Through Comic Con India, students will be able to gain valuable mentorship from leading creators and professionals, connect with the wider pop culture community, enhance their creative skills, and understand the commercial aspects of their craft. We also aim to contribute to building a curriculum that reflects the practical needs of the industry, ensuring students are fully prepared to step confidently into their professional careers.”

Ashish Kulkarni, Board Member, IICT, added, “Our goal is to make India a global hub for creative content creation & build the leadership through Indigenous Intellectual Property for AVGC-XR and Film making. I believe this partnership perfectly aligns with the government’s AVGC-XR vision of building a globally competitive talent pool, and it will pave the way for Indian creators to make their mark not just nationally but on the world stage. Together with Comic Con India, we look forward to building a vibrant pipeline of storytellers, innovators, creators, publishers, and cultural ambassadors from India, carving the pathways for Indigenous IPs using transmedia eco-system.”

According to the FX & Beyond: Shaping India’s AVGC Landscape report, India’s AVGC XR sector currently represents nearly 20% of the broader media and entertainment industry, with revenues expected to grow from around US $3.9 billion in 2023 to US $6.8 billion by 2026. The sector is projected to generate over 160,000 new jobs annually, building toward more than 2 million direct jobs by 2030.

The MoU reflects a shared commitment to nurturing talent, accelerating IP creation, and building a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals in AVGC-XR fields. Specific programs and activations under the agreement will be announced in the coming months.

Fast-growing UK sportsbook and casino Midnite has further bolstered its team with the appointment of Alex Henderson as VP of Compliance.

Henderson joins Midnite with significant experience across compliance, regulatory affairs and operational risk within the gambling sector. He has worked with established operators, law enforcement agencies and advisory firms, bringing a balanced understanding of commercial and compliance challenges.

The addition of Henderson is the latest key addition for Midnite, after the appointment of Zach Amin as Vice-President of Sportsbook and Andrew Mook as Head of Brand Marketing – with both joining from Flutter.

Henderson’s role will involve overseeing regulatory compliance, enhancing internal processes, and supporting Midnite’s continued focus on safer gambling and operational integrity under its UK licence.

He said: “I’m genuinely excited to be joining Midnite at such an exciting time in our growth story. Everyone I’ve met so far has been welcoming and clearly driven by a real passion for what they’re building. There’s a strong sense of ambition matched by a real commitment to doing things right.”

Midnite’s sportsbook was launched in 2018 by Nick Wright and Daniel Qu, who previously created daily fantasy sports platform Dribble in partnership with Sky Bet. In April, Midnite announced an investment of about £7.7m to help fuel its growth ambitions. The company has subsequently secured high-profile sponsorship partnerships with the World Snooker Championship, Southampton Football Club and Sheffield United Football Club.

The brand is focused on disrupting the UK betting market, prioritising the player experience with a slick website and app and a brand platform designed to speak to a new generation of players.

Wright said: “We’re building Midnite to be the most exciting betting brand in the UK but also the most trusted and that means taking compliance seriously. Alex brings heavyweight experience and the mindset we value – sharp, pragmatic and unafraid to raise the bar. His appointment is in keeping the standards we expect and the culture we’re creating.”