曼德拉95歲誕辰健康狀況好轉

South Africa says former president Nelson Mandela's health is "steadily improving" as he turns 95 years old Thursday.

President Jacob Zuma wished Mr. Mandela happy birthday in a statement, saying South Africa is proud to call the international icon its own.

Mr. Mandela has been hospitalized for more than a month with a recurring lung infection. Officials describe his condition as "critical but stable."

South Africans have big celebrations planned for his birthday Thursday, which has been designated an international day of service.

Known as "Mandela Day," people are asked to give 67 minutes of their time doing something charitable, or one minute for each year he dedicated to his struggle for social justice.

U.S. President Barack Obama, who visited South Africa last month, said in a statement late Wednesday that people everywhere can honor Mr. Mandela by "heeding his example" through acts of service.星期四是前南非總統曼德拉95歲誕辰，南非說，他的健康狀況正在持續好轉。

南非總統祖馬發表聲明，祝曼德拉生日快樂。他說，南非爲擁有這位國際偶像人物而感到驕傲。

一個多月來，曼德拉一直因肺部感染復發而住院治療。有關官員說，他的病情“危重但是穩定”。

南非計劃星期四爲曼德拉誕辰舉行盛大慶祝活動，並把這一天定爲國際服務日。

星期四是“曼德拉日”，人們被要求做67分鐘的善事，紀念曼德拉爲爭取社會公正而鬥爭的67個年頭。

美國總統奧巴馬上月訪問了南非。奧巴馬星期三晚間發表聲明說，世界各地的人們都可以通過服務來學習曼德拉的榜樣，以此表達對他的敬仰之情。