Australia ruling party set for upset in state by-elections ahead of May federal vote

(Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Liberal Party suffered a major upset in New South Wales state's by-elections, preliminary reports indicated on Sunday, presenting a challenge for his ruling coalition ahead of federal elections due in May. Liberal Party leaders at both state and federal level have come under pressure in recent months over their handling of the latest wave of the COVID pandemic, as cases and deaths soared following the arrival of the Omicron variant. Official tallies of the four by-elections won't come for weeks until mail-in votes are counted, but New Sout...