Nation: The Obama administration is obeying the order of a Texas federal judge and delaying the implementation of immigration reforms the president ordered. The government was about to begin accepting applications for work permits and some other legal protections that were to be enacted by executive order. Judge Andrew Hanen of Brownsville said in his decision that Obama’s order did not follow the law and 26 states had standing to sue to stop it.

President Obama said his administration will appeal. “The law is on our side, and history is on our side.”

Chill Out: Minneapolis, -8; Chicago, 7; Buffalo, 15, Pilot Knob, NY, -16; New York, 20; Windsor, Ct., -5; Burlington, Vt., -6; Boston, 20.

Ukraine: President Petro Poroshenko says he is withdrawing his troops from the strategic town of Debaltseve, the transportation hub in eastern Ukraine. He’s presenting it as a strategic withdrawal, but it’s probably a critical defeat. Rebel forces kept attacking Debaltseve even after a ceasefire went into effect and as many as 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers were in danger of encirclement.

World: Following vandalism in a French Jewish cemetery and increasing anti-Semitic incidents across Europe, leaders are rushing to assure Jewish Europeans that they are welcome and safe. French President Francois Hollande said, “I know some are asking if they can live in peace in their country, and ask who will protect them against those who wish them harm.” He went on, “One more time, I want to give the Republic’s response — that it will protect you with all its force.”

Hollande in particular is annoyed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who over the weekend invited European Jews to emigrate.

“To the Jews of Europe and to the Jews of the world I say that Israel is waiting for you with open arms,” Netanyahu said.

The Obit Page: Arnaud de Borchgrave, the son of a Belgian count who was wounded on D-Day and spent his life as a globe trotting war correspondent, has died at age 88. An adventurer who loved the front lines, de Borchgrave said he covered 18 wars. He was wounded again reporting for Newsweek in Vietnam. De Borchgrave tended to burnish a dashing image, showing up at the action in starched and pressed battle fatigues.

He was at Newsweek for many years until his right wing opinions began creeping into his dispatches. He then became editor of The Washington Times, the paper founded by the conservative Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Unification church, a paper de Borchgrave presented as an alternative to the “biased liberal media.”

Bad Sports: Coming up on spring training, Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez issued a handwritten non-apology for getting himself suspended from a year of baseball. Without admitting he took performance drugs, A-Rod said, “I take full responsibility for the mistakes that led to my suspension for the 2014 season. I regret that my actions made the situation worse than it needed to be. To Major League Baseball, the Yankees, the Steinbrenner family, the players association and you, the fans, I can only say I’m sorry.” Sorry exactly for what, Alex?

In a related development, Anthony Bosch, owner of the Florida clinic that mixed A-Rod’s cocktails, was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison.

The Dogs: Against a lineup that included a Portuguese water dog groomed like a Louis XIV poodle, and a poodle groomed like a Louis XIV poodle, an energetic little 15-inch beagle named Miss P won Best of Show last night at the Westminster Kennel Club. It was considered an upset win, but by the applause during her appearances, Miss P was a crowd favorite. She’s related to the memorable Uno, who howled in chorus with his fans when he won the show in 2008.

The Darwin Update: Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has asked his city’s young citizens to stop jumping out of windows into high snow banks. People have been jumping and posting videos on YouTube. “You could kill yourself,” the mayor said. Yeah, but dude, you could also go viral.

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