Obama calls Kerry, national security team about Malaysian plane

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to Secretary of State John Kerry and senior members of his national security team on Thursday about the downed Malaysian jetliner in Ukraine, the White House said. Obama, who is on a Democratic fundraising trip, held the separate calls after his arrival in New York. "The president was briefed on our ongoing efforts to support the Ukrainian government and a prompt international investigation into what took place," the White House said. "The president directed his national security team to continue offering whatever assistance is necessary to advance the international effort to determine what happened." Participants in the national security call included CIA Director John Brennan, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and deputy national security adviser Lisa Monaco. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Peter Cooney)