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By Michael Woods | ESPNNewYork.com

Emile Griffith, who held the welterweight and middleweight championships in the 1960s, has died, the International Boxing Hall of Fame said Tuesday.

The fighter, born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, was 75. He died at the Nassau Extended care facility in Hempstead, Long Island, an employee said.

Griffith was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Hall director Ed Brophy confirmed the news of the passing to ESPNNewYork.com of the fighter, who lived in Upper Harlem with his mom as a child, and also spent time living in Queens, New Jersey and Long Island.

Griffith likely best be remembered for the tragic death of foe Benny Paret, who died from brain injuries after taking vicious punishment in their third clash in 1962. Also, Griffith drew attention for his sexual orientation, which the fighter danced around expertly for most of his life. He acknowledged he was bisexual in 2005.

Author Ron Ross wrote a book, "Nine, Ten and Out! The Two Worlds of Emile Griffith" on Griffith, and knew the fighter since 1963.

"He was a tremendous boxer and person," Ross said. "It is almost a blessing that he passed away because he has been in a vegetative state the last couple years. To know him was a privilege, he transcended being a boxer, or being gay or straight. He lived life with the fullest joy. He passed that on to everyone he knew and not many have that as a legacy.

"Emile never felt like he was different, he lived his life openly. He'd go to a gay bar and he wouldn't go into a side entrance, he'd go in the front door. He never flaunted it but it was natural to him to lead his life the way he wanted to."

Brophy said Griffith brought joy to the Hall in Canastota, N.Y., when he visited.

"He was a wonderful boxer and a gentleman outside the ring," Brophy said. "He surely will be missed. He made many visits to the Hall since being inducted in 1990. He was a fun filled person and the flags here are being lowered now."

Boxing

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A former CIA station chief, convicted by an Italian court of kidnapping a terror suspect, has been detained in Panama, Italian officials say.

Robert Seldon Lady was sentenced to nine years in jail for his involvement in the abduction of the man, an Egyptian cleric, in Milan in 2003.

The cleric, known as Abu Omar, was allegedly flown to Egypt and tortured.

Mr Lady was convicted in absentia with 22 other Americans for their role in his "extraordinary rendition".

But the Italian authorities have so far only sought the international arrest of the former Milan station chief, Italian media say.

Mr Lady was reportedly arrested near Panama's border with Costa Rica.

The Milan case was the first involving extraordinary rendition, the CIA's practice of transferring suspects to countries where torture is permitted.

Twenty-two CIA agents, including Mr Lady, and one air force pilot were convicted in 2009 and their sentences upheld last year.

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Israel | RON DERMER

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday appointed Ron Dermer, a close advisor with ties to Miami Beach, to be Israel's next ambassador to the United States. The long-anticipated pick had raised some concern in Washington because of Dermer's connections to Republicans.

Dermer, 42, has been Netanyahu's top diplomatic advisor for the past four years. He will replace Michael Oren, the outspoken and telegenic New Jersey-born historian who has served in Washington for four years. In an announcement Tuesday, Netanyahu said Dermer has 'all the necessarily characteristics to successfully fill this important role.'

Dermer, a neoconservative who once worked for Frank Luntz, a Republican consultant, was seen by some as questioning President Barack Obama's commitment to Israel during his first term, and of supporting Obama's GOP opponent, Mitt Romney, in last fall's presidential election. But since November, he has worked to repair his reputation in Washington and has won over many in the White House with the critical roles he played in negotiating a cease-fire after Israel's eight-day operation in the Gaza Strip, reconciling relations between Turkey and Israel and planning Obama's much-heralded March visit to Israel.

Now, several people close to the Obama administration said, any suspicions about Dermer's political leanings are outweighed by the benefit of having an ambassador in Netanyahu's inner circle. He is expected to start the job in the fall.

'If you have someone you know is well-connected to the prime minister, it means you can always use that channel, no matter how sensitive the message is, and understand it's going to be communicated the way you want it,' noted Dennis B. Ross, a former Middle East envoy who is now counselor to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 'It reduces the prospect of surprise, it reduces the prospect of misunderstanding - that's something that's highly desired.'

Dermer was raised in Miami Beach, where his father and brother both served as mayor. He likes to point out that they were Democrats, although the family also supported former President George W. Bush and his brother, former Gov. Jeb Bush. He has a bachelor's degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University.

His mother, Yaffa Dermer, who still lives in Miami Beach, said she is 'all for it' when asked about her son's new position. 'I'm excited. I think he'll do a wonderful job because he's a red-blooded American,' she said Tuesday. /'He told me he's going to visit me a lot.'

His mother, who was born and raised in Israel before moving to the U.S., said that Ron was constantly involved with Israel while growing up in their Miami Beach home, adding that he 'loves' the country.

Former U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, applauded the choice on Tuesday and described Dermer as a smart man who knows how essential the job is.

'It's great to have someone from Florida to take on this very central role of Israel's ambassador to the United States,' said Klein. 'It's exciting for someone from the United States and from our community to be represented with this opportunity.'

Israel | RON DERMER

Former Miami Beach resident Ron Dermer will become Israel's top diplomat in the United States.

EGYPT

At least 51 killed in clashes as military targets Morsi supporters.