EGYPT: Foreigners Begin Evacuation

The United States and many other nations have begun evacuating their embassy staffers and other citizens from Egypt as unrest continues. Americans will be airlifted to "safe haven" countries in the region, from where they must make their own arrangements to get home.

The United States planned to begin charter flights to help Americans leave the country Monday. Other governments and businesses have also said they plan to evacuate citizens amid escalating protests across the country. Canada's government has said it will begin charter flights bound for Europe evacuating as many as 6,000 of its citizens from Egypt Monday. Australia announced Monday that it planned to provide an emergency flight out of Cairo for its citizens on Wednesday. Thai Airways said Monday that it was preparing a special flight to Cairo to bring stranded Thais home at the request of the country's government. And Mexico's government urged its citizens in Egypt to consider leaving the country. Two special EL AL flights with Israelis returning from Egypt landed in Israel Monday morning, Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said.

There are 380 American embassy staffers living in Cairo with their families. It's unknown how many other Americans are presently in Egypt, but the number is thought to be in the thousands.