Obama to name friend Valerie Jarrett senior adviser

Washington: US President-elect Barack Obama is naming his longtime friend and supporter Valerie Jarrett as his White House senior adviser.

Jarrett, who hired Michelle Obama for a job in the Chicago mayor's office years ago, is one of the president-elect's closest friends and advisers.

Her name has been floated for several top administration jobs. However, Obama settled on the senior adviser role, said a person close to the president-elect.

The decision has not been officially announced.