Former US defence chief who opened combat jobs to women dies at 68

Ash Carter served as defence secretary under the Obama administration (Andrew Harnik/AP/PA)

Ash Carter, who served as defence secretary under the Obama administration, opening military combat jobs to women and ending a ban on transgender people serving, has died aged 68.

Mr Carter died after suffering a heart attack on Monday evening, according a statement from Douglas Elmendorf, dean of Harvard University’s Kennedy School. Carter had served as as director of the school’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.