美国有线新闻 CNN 法国抗议示威活动愈演愈烈 马克龙取消上调燃油税计划（在线收听）

First story this Monday takes us to France where the nation's president is getting ready to address his country Monday. Growing protests have put tremendous pressure on his government. This is because of the "Yellow Vest" movement. It's called that because demonstrators wear the yellow safety vests that French drivers are required to keep in their cars.

It began over the French government's planned increase in fuel taxes. But it's expanded to include the rising costs of living, the gap between France's rich and poor, and general dissatisfaction with French President Emmanuel Macron. His government has cancelled plans to raise the fuel tax.

He's planning to meet with business and political leaders, trade unions and local officials on Monday to hear their concerns. And his national address is expected to focus on national unity.

But the protests, which have been going on for four weekends now, have had an impact. Because of violence at some of them, sports events have been cancelled. The Eiffel Tower has been closed to the public. France's finance minister says the protests have created a catastrophe for the nation's economy and all this has raised questions about the future of the French presidency as well as the future of Europe.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The interior minister came out and shared some of the numbers. He said that nationwide, about 125,000 people have joined these protests, 10,000 of them here in Paris. He also said that 1,385 people were brought in for questioning, 974 remained in custody.

Now, what's interesting is that earlier this week, the fuel tax that sparked these demonstrations that began on the 17 of November was cancelled, but nonetheless, there is broad discontent with the situation in France under the leadership of Emmanuel Macron, who is 40 years old, a former investment banker, many people feel that he's simply out of touch with the reality of life in France today.

So, there's a very good possibility that next week, there will be more protests.