BREAKING. CNN International's Christiane Amanpour, Anderson Cooper, Isha Sesay, Arwa Damon, all in South Africa for Nelson Mandela.

Christiane Amanpour and Anderson Cooper of CNN International (DStv 401) are now both also in South Africa to lead unprecedented coverage of the death and funeral and celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela.

CNN International now has the biggest team of reporters deployed in South Africa to cover the death of Nelson Mandela and South Africa and the world's reaction to his passing.

Christiane Amanpour who arrived today in Johannesburg was instantly recognised and greeted at immigration with a "thank you for coming to honour Mr Mandela".

Besides the CNN heavy-hitters Christiane Amanpour and Anderson Cooper, CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon is now also in South Africa.

Isha Sesay is also heading to South Africa who've been reporting on Nelson Mandela from Soweto just a few months ago.

Chris Cuomo seen mostly on CNN in America but who've appeared on CNN International a few times in 2013 when CNN International takes the CNN US feed, has also arrived in South Africa and instantly started Nelson Mandela coverage.

Besides them, South Africa's David McKenzie, CNN International's correspondent in China, returned to South Africa on Saturday as I've previously reported.

They all join South Africa's Robyn Curnow who've already distinguished herself with instantly stellar reporting regarding the death of Nelson Mandela.

Errol Barnett who's based in Johannesburg and who've been already to Zimbabwe for a reaction story over this past weekend is also already back in Johannesburg and reporting live from Houghton on CNN International on Monday afternoon.

Charlene Hunter-Gault who've covered South Africa for many years, working for among others, CNN International, and now NBC News, also travelled to South Africa.

Besides CNN International's heavy presence of correspondents in South Africa, here is the already massive - and growing list - of foreign correspondents and TV reporters who've travelled to South Africa and who remain here to cover the biggest official funeral the world has yet seen:

Jeremy Thompson (Sky News), Stuart Ramsay (Sky News), Robert Nisbet (Sky News), Brian Williams (NBC News), Richard Engel (NBC News), Lester Holt (NBC News), Ron Allen (NBC News), Komla Dumor (BBC World News), Jon Sopel (BBC World News), Fergal Keane (BBC World News), Ros Atkins (BBC World News), Byron Pitts (ABC News), Alex Marquardt (ABC News), TerryMoran (ABC News), Greg Palkot (Fox News Channel), Mike Hanna (Al Jazeera), Jonah Hull (Al Jazeera), Bill Whitaker (CBS News), Mark Phillips (CBS News).

BREAKING. ''The fact is, I'm gay,'' says Anderson Cooper of AC360 on CNN International.

"In fact, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself and proud," writes Anderson Cooper of Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN International (DStv 401) weekdays at 02:00 (South African time), revealing his sexual orientation for the first time.


The anchor of AC360 on CNN International revealed his sexual orientation, often speculated upon in the past, publicly for the first time today, in a letter to Andrew Sullivan of the news site The Daily Beast.


"I've always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. As long as a journalist shows fairness and honesty in his or her work, their private life shouldn't matter. I've stuck to those principles for my entire professional career, even when I've been directly asked "the gay question," which happens occasionally," Anderson Cooper writes.


"It's become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something - something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid," writes Anderson Cooper.


"In a perfect world, I don't think it's anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted," writes Anderson Cooper.

Programming note: Anderson Cooper 360 to move timeslot from September on CNN International; will affect other shows.

Get ready for Anderson Cooper 360 (AC 360) on CNN International (DStv 401) to move timeslots from September which will mean a time for the weekday show on the international news channel, as well as most probably timeslot changes for some of the other shows.

AC 360, currently seen in South Africa on CNN International weekdays at 04:00 from Tuesdays to Saturdays will move from September, since the show is broadcast live in America on CNN, and is moving its timeslot there. That means that it will be moving on CNN International, and cause some of the shows surrounding it to move.

I asked CNN International earlier this week what the new timeslot from September for AC 360 will be. ''The impact of the scheduled changes have not yet been determined,'' I'm told by CNN International.

BREAKING. CNN journalist Anderson Cooper attacked, punched in the head by angry mob in Egypt.

The CNN journalist Anderson Cooper and the anchor of the show Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN International (DStv 401) has been attacked and then hit in the head multiple times after he was surrounded by an angry mob in the civil unrest gripping Egypt.

Anderson Cooper who's Anderson Cooper 360 can be seen Tuesdays to Saturdays at 05:00 South African time, was punched in the head several times. "Anderson said he was punched 10 times in the head as pro-Mubarak mob surrounded him and his crew trying to cover demonstration,'' tweeted CNN producer Steve Brusk an hour ago.

Anderson Cooper in Afghanistan next week

Next week Anderson Cooper from Anderson Cooper 360° (weekdays at 04:00 on CNN International, DStv 401) will be broadcast from Afghanistan in honour of the 8th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on America.

Anderson will anchor Anderson Cooper 360° while he's embedded with a group of US troops for the week's worth of specials subtitled ''Live from the Battle Zone''. Dr Sanjay Gupta will also be embedded to deliver report on field trauma surgery.

Additionally http://www.ac360.com/ will feature a multimedia look at Anderson's Afghanistan trip.