Sen. McCain's mother in Portugal clinic after fall

LISBON (Reuters Life!) - The 97-year-old mother of former U.S. presidential candidate Sen. John McCain was in the emergency ward of a Portuguese hospital on Friday after falling in a Lisbon street the previous night, injuring her head.

"The patient is in observation, undergoing various medical tests, and in a stable clinical condition," the Sao Jose hospital in downtown Lisbon said in a statement.

McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said Roberta McCain was visiting Lisbon as a tourist when she "had a fainting epsiode and injured her head".

"Senator McCain has spoken to her and the doctors treating Mrs. McCain and report she is recovering well," Buchanan said.

Local media said Roberta, an avid traveller, arrived in Lisbon alone, checked into a hotel on Thursday afternoon, and was found in the street a few hours later by an ambulance crew.

Arizona Sen. McCain, who lost last year's election to President Barack Obama, is 73.

(Reporting by Andrei Khalip and Vitor Moreira in Lisbon; additional reporting by Deborah Charles in Washington; editing by Jon Boyle and Paul Casciato)