ANKARA, May 22 (Reuters) - An Ankara court on Friday rejected an appeal by Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) against a ruling to oust its leader, the Cumhuriyet daily and other Turkish media said.

The CHP has appealed also to a higher court, as well as the Supreme Election Board (YSK), but no rulings have yet been made on those. The ousting of CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel has inflamed a political crisis and rattled markets.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Huseyin Hayatsever)

By Maha El Dahan and Jana Choukeir

DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - There is a "50-50 chance" of a U.S.-Iran peace agreement, the United Arab Emirates' presidential advisor said on Friday, but stressed that any political settlement must address the root causes of instability in the region to avoid future conflict.

Pakistan has been mediating a U.S.-Iran ceasefire to end the war that has shaken the global economy and disrupted trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

By Ece Toksabay and Huseyin Hayatsever

ANKARA, May 22 (Reuters) - Turkey's political opposition dug in on Friday to resist an unprecedented court ruling that ousted its leader and annulled its congress, inflaming a political crisis that critics say aims to further prolong President Tayyip Erdogan's 23-year rule.

More than a million Muslims are gathering in Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage overshadowed by the Middle East war, as animosity smoulders across the region despite a fragile ceasefire.

This year's rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, including Iran, follow waves of Iranian attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours.

Saudi officials are keen to keep conflict far from the minds of visitors, who have travelled long distances for one of the world's biggest annual pilgrimages.

By Jacob Bogage and Parisa Hafezi

WASHINGTON/DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister met his Pakistani counterpart on Friday to discuss proposals to end the U.S.-Israeli war, Iranian media reported, with Tehran and Washington still at odds over Tehran's uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz.

TAIPEI, May 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan's presidential office said on Friday it had not received any information about the U.S. adjusting military sales, after a senior U.S. official suggested there was a pause due to the need to have enough arms for the war with Iran.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has been waiting for the U.S. to approve a new arms sale package which Reuters has reported could be worth up to $14 billion.

SYDNEY, May 22 (Reuters) - A second group of Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group have departed a refugee camp in northeast Syria and may be returning to Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported on Friday.

The broadcaster said a bus carrying the group left the Al-Roj camp on Thursday afternoon under escort by a convoy of Syrian government officials. The group is expected to reach Damascus, though it remains unclear when they might travel to Australia, the report said.

Lebanese mother-of-two Hala Farah is collecting photos and videos to preserve the memory of her hometown which, like many others along the southern border, has been completely destroyed by Israeli forces.

Testimony from residents and officials, as well as satellite images and photographs taken by AFP journalists on both sides of the border, show widespread destruction in dozens of Lebanese towns and villages since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2.

Like many Moroccan farmers, Mehdi el-Maazi was hopeful that rare heavy rains would yield an abundant harvest this year -- but those hopes were quickly shattered as the Middle East war sent fuel and fertiliser costs soaring.

Morocco, where agriculture employs about a quarter of the working population and where drought had persisted for seven consecutive years, recorded massive rainfalls last February and December.

By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday announced sanctions against nine individuals, including Iran's designated ambassador to Lebanon, for obstructing the peace process in the Middle Eastern country and impeding the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said the officials were embedded across Lebanon’s parliament, military, and security sectors, where they worked to preserve Hezbollah's influence over key Lebanese state institutions.