NEW YORK — A Turkish banker convicted of helping Iran evade economic sanctions has been released from a U.S. prison, his defense attorney said Tuesday. Mehmet Hakan Atilla was released from prison Friday and surrendered to U.S. immigration officials to await deportation, attorney Victor Rocco said. It was not immediately clear when Atilla would be deported to Turkey. A federal jury convicted Atilla in 2018 of participating in a conspiracy that allowed Iran to launder billions of dollars in oil proceeds through world financial markets.

Turkish American economist Daron Acemoglu has been named Institute Professor, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) highest faculty honor. Professor Acemoglu is now one of the 12 Institute Professors, along with 11 Institute Professors Emeriti. Professor Acemoglu has been promoted to the rank of Institute Professor in recognition of his “significant impacts in diverse fields of economics.” The honor is an “exceptional distinction by a combination of leadership, accomplishment, and service in the scholarly, educational, and general intellectual life of the Institute and wider community.”

Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, who was born and raised in Bakirkoy, Istanbul, is the first Turkish citizen in history to be elected to lead the Greek Orthodox congregation in the United States. He was elected unanimously by the "Holy Council" (Synod) of the Fener Greek Patriarchate in Istanbul, led by Patriarch Bartholomeos. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will be enthroned as the seventh Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on Saturday June 22, 2019 in Manhattan, NY.

“MasterChef Junior” will return for an eighth season with new judge Daphne Oz. Oz will replace Christina Tosi on the judges’ panel, joining chefs Gordon Ramsay and Aaron Sanchez to crown the next winner in the new season. In the upcoming season, the young contestants will cook up meals at locations including a renaissance fair and motocross track. Ramsay’s daughter Tilly will return to the show for a special donut contest.