Sam Halpern

Sam is a breaking news desk manager at The Jerusalem Post where he has worked since June 2023. He is a James Madison University alumnus where he graduated cum-laude with a degree in English and minors in Creative Writing and Environmental Studies.


Cars burn in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency's value, in Tehran, Iran, January 8, 2026.

Iranian man pretends to be dead for three days, fearing a regime execution - report

US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago club on December 29, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.

PM Netanyahu accepts Trump's invitation to join Board of Peace, to become founding member

Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett attends a conference at the Academic College in Tel Aviv, January 7, 2026.

Netanyahu ushered Turkey, Qatar through Gaza's front door, ex-PM Naftali Bennett charges


Qatar, Saudi Arabia lead efforts to influence Trump against US strike in Iran, sources tell 'Post'

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistani outlet Dawn reported that Trump had informed Tehran that the US would not strike the country.

US President Donald Trump seen in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, DC, US, January 14, 2026

Iranian regime leaders moving millions out of Iran as they 'abandon ship,' US Treasury chief says

We are now seeing the rats fleeing the ship, because we can see millions, tens of millions of dollars being wired out of the country," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Newsmax.

A currency dealer poses for a photo with a U.S one dollar bill and the amount being given when converting it into Iranian rials in an exchange shop in Tehran, Iran December 25, 2022

IDF strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, citing repeated ceasefire violations

Shortly after the strike began, rocket sirens sounded in Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the Gaza border community. The sirens were almost immediately deemed a false alarm.

UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) and Lebanese military vehicles patrol in southern Lebanon, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, January 8, 2026

Israel's Dead Sea area trembles as 4.2 magnitude earthquake felt

"Immediately go out into the open," the Home Front Command advised those in the area. "If not possible, enter [a] protected room or stairwell."

People enjoy a sunny day at the beach in the Dead Sea, on June 6, 2025.

Free Iran would immediately recognize Israel, normalize US ties, Pahlavi declares

Iran will eventually “rise again from [the] ashes” of the Islamic Republic, exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran, poses after an interview with Reuters about the situation in Iran and the need to support Iranians, in Paris, France, June 23, 2025.

US military signaled imminent Iran intervention, European officials say

The US has ramped up diplomatic moves, including sanctions on Iranian officials.

Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9, 2026.

Trump expected to announce Phase II of Gaza ceasefire despite conditions not being met - exclusive

This comes despite the return of all the hostages held in Gaza being a key tenet of the first phase of the ceasefire. The remains of St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili remain in captivity.

US President Donald Trump takes questions from the members of the press aboard Air Force One on January 11, 2026 en route back to the White House from Palm Beach, Florida.

'You do not have much time': Crown Prince urges Iranian Army members to abandon regime

“You are the national military of Iran, not the military of the Islamic Republic. You have a duty to protect the lives of your compatriots," Pahlavi wrote.

Iranian opposition leader and son of the last shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Reza Pahlavi holds a press conference in Paris on june 23, 2025.

Israeli MMA fighter Shimon Smotritsky earns unanimous decision win at 559 Fights 120 - interview

"When I fight like myself, freely, and without trying to entertain someone or try to hype the crowd up and do all this nonsense, I’m the best version of myself," Smotritsky says.

Shimon Smotritsky (left) and James Porter at the weigh-ins ahead of their match at the 559 Fights 120 event in Porterville, California.

Germany’s Merz: I believe we are witnessing final days, weeks of Iran’s regime

“If a regime can only cling to power through violence, then it's effectively over anyway,” Merz said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits Bosch's facility in Bengaluru, India January 13, 2026.