President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he asked whether a 7-year-old was too old to believe in Santa Claus, capping a week of plunging stocks, a government shutdown and the US defense chief's unceremonious departure.

Twitter lit up like a Christmas tree after Trump made his remark during a holiday event with first lady Melania Trump, taking calls from children calling the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker.

A Christmas tradition, the tracker delights children with "real-time" updates on Saint Nick's Christmas Eve journey.

In one of the Christmas Eve calls, Trump chatted with a 7-year-old.

"Are you still a believer in Santa?" Trump asked the child. "Because at 7, it's marginal, right?"

In a twinkling, Twitter was bombarded with messages railing against the president for what sounded to some as if he was casting doubts on a cherished fantasy of childhood.

"It’s just too freaking fantastic that Trump spent his Christmas Eve calling seven-year-olds and telling them believing in Santa at their age is 'marginal,'" Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on his Twitter account.

“Actually there is no heaven," tweeted Dan Amira, head writer for "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" comedy show. "When you die you just rot in the ground and get eaten by worms. Okay Merry Christmas, Timmy.”

Others defended Trump

"Trump does a lot of things wrong, but suggesting to a 7-year old that Santa doesn't exist is probably the one right thing he's done while in office," said a man identified on his Twitter account as Irtiza Sheikh. "Someone's gotta do it."

The White House had no immediate comment on the social media response to the president's Santa comments.

In 2017, Trump spent the holidays at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, with his family, but for his second Christmas as president, Trump opted to cancel his holiday getaway because of the partial federal government shutdown. It began last week when top lawmakers failed to end an impasse over funding for his proposed wall along the border with Mexico.

Stuck in Washington on Christmas morning 2018, Trump displayed little holiday cheer while speaking with reporters after a 20-minute video conference with US troops serving abroad.

He assailed the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, railed against Democrats who refuse to fund the wall he wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border, and blasted the investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia, among other regular targets.

The president then closed with holiday wishes of sorts.

&nbsp;"It's a disgrace, what's happening in our country," he said. "But other than that, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas."

President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he asked whether a 7-year-old was too old to believe in Santa Claus, capping a week of plunging stocks, a government shutdown and the US defense chief's unceremonious departure.

President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he asked whether a 7-year-old was too old to believe in Santa Claus, capping a week of plunging stocks, a government shutdown and the US defense chief's unceremonious departure. Twitter lit up like a Christmas tree after Trump made his remark during a holiday event with first lady Melania Trump, taking calls from children calling the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker. A Christmas tradition, the tracker delights children with "real-time" updates on Saint Nick's Christmas Eve journey. In one of the Christmas Eve calls, Trump chatted with a 7-year-old. "Are you still a believer in Santa?" Trump asked the child. "Because at 7, it's marginal, right?" In a twinkling, Twitter was bombarded with messages railing against the president for what sounded to some as if he was casting doubts on a cherished fantasy of childhood. "It’s just too freaking fantastic that Trump spent his Christmas Eve calling seven-year-olds and telling them believing in Santa at their age is 'marginal,'" Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on his Twitter account. “Actually there is no heaven," tweeted Dan Amira, head writer for "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" comedy show. "When you die you just rot in the ground and get eaten by worms. Okay Merry Christmas, Timmy.” Others defended Trump "Trump does a lot of things wrong, but suggesting to a 7-year old that Santa doesn't exist is probably the one right thing he's done while in office," said a man identified on his Twitter account as Irtiza Sheikh. "Someone's gotta do it." The White House had no immediate comment on the social media response to the president's Santa comments. In 2017, Trump spent the holidays at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, with his family, but for his second Christmas as president, Trump opted to cancel his holiday getaway because of the partial federal government shutdown. It began last week when top lawmakers failed to end an impasse over funding for his proposed wall along the border with Mexico. Stuck in Washington on Christmas morning 2018, Trump displayed little holiday cheer while speaking with reporters after a 20-minute video conference with US troops serving abroad. He assailed the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, railed against Democrats who refuse to fund the wall he wants to build on the U.S.-Mexico border, and blasted the investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia, among other regular targets. The president then closed with holiday wishes of sorts. "It's a disgrace, what's happening in our country," he said. "But other than that, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas."

Still believe in Santa at your age? Trump ignites Twitter storm

President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he questioned whether a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/still-believe-in-santa-at-your-age-trump-ignites-twitter-storm-186486">seven-year-old was too long in the tooth to believe in Santa Claus</a>.

But not to worry.

The child, Collman Lloyd, from Lexington, South Carolina, told the Post and Courier newspaper she was still a believer. She and her two siblings left iced sugar cookies and milk out for Saint Nick overnight and, in the morning, the treats were gone and presents were under the tree.

Twitter had lit up after Trump, capping a week of plunging stocks, a government shutdown and the US&nbsp;defense chief's unceremonious departure, cast doubt on the cherished childhood fantasy.

"Are you still a believer in Santa?" Trump asked Collman in a phone call. "Because at seven, it's marginal, right?"

In a video her family posted on the Internet, she replied, "Yes sir," later telling the newspaper she had no idea what "marginal" meant.

Trump made the comment during a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/military-santa-tracker-norad-live-despite-us-government-shutdown-186404">holiday event with first lady Melania Trump</a>, taking calls from children calling the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker.

A Christmas tradition, the tracker delights children with "real-time" updates on his Christmas Eve journey.

"It's just too freaking fantastic that Trump spent his Christmas Eve calling seven-year-olds and telling them believing in Santa at their age is 'marginal,'" Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on his Twitter account.

"Actually there is no heaven," tweeted Dan Amira, head writer for "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" comedy show. "When you die you just rot in the ground and get eaten by worms. Okay Merry Christmas, Timmy."

The White House had no immediate comment on the social media response to the president's Santa comments.

Stuck in Washington on Christmas morning because of the partial federal government shutdown, Trump displayed little holiday cheer to reporters after a 20-minute video conference with US&nbsp;troops serving abroad.

He assailed the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, railed against Democrats who refuse to fund the wall he wants to build on the US-Mexico border, and blasted the investigation into his campaign's alleged ties to Russia, among other regular targets.

The president then closed with holiday wishes of sorts. "It's a disgrace, what's happening in our country," he said. "But other than that, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas."

President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he questioned whether a seven-year-old was too long in the tooth to believe in Santa Claus. But not to worry.

President Donald Trump set off a Christmas social media storm when he questioned whether a seven-year-old was too long in the tooth to believe in Santa Claus. But not to worry. The child, Collman Lloyd, from Lexington, South Carolina, told the Post and Courier newspaper she was still a believer. She and her two siblings left iced sugar cookies and milk out for Saint Nick overnight and, in the morning, the treats were gone and presents were under the tree. Twitter had lit up after Trump, capping a week of plunging stocks, a government shutdown and the US defense chief's unceremonious departure, cast doubt on the cherished childhood fantasy. "Are you still a believer in Santa?" Trump asked Collman in a phone call. "Because at seven, it's marginal, right?" In a video her family posted on the Internet, she replied, "Yes sir," later telling the newspaper she had no idea what "marginal" meant. Trump made the comment during a holiday event with first lady Melania Trump, taking calls from children calling the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker. A Christmas tradition, the tracker delights children with "real-time" updates on his Christmas Eve journey. "It's just too freaking fantastic that Trump spent his Christmas Eve calling seven-year-olds and telling them believing in Santa at their age is 'marginal,'" Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on his Twitter account. "Actually there is no heaven," tweeted Dan Amira, head writer for "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" comedy show. "When you die you just rot in the ground and get eaten by worms. Okay Merry Christmas, Timmy." The White House had no immediate comment on the social media response to the president's Santa comments. Stuck in Washington on Christmas morning because of the partial federal government shutdown, Trump displayed little holiday cheer to reporters after a 20-minute video conference with US troops serving abroad. He assailed the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates, railed against Democrats who refuse to fund the wall he wants to build on the US-Mexico border, and blasted the investigation into his campaign's alleged ties to Russia, among other regular targets. The president then closed with holiday wishes of sorts. "It's a disgrace, what's happening in our country," he said. "But other than that, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas."

Child says still believes in Santa after Trump's 'marginal' quip

Researchers on Monday warned that reindeer in the Arctic are shrinking due to climate change, news agency AFP reports.

According to recent findings presented at the British Ecological Society (BES) in Liverpool, the average weight of reindeer in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic has dropped by 12 per cent over the past 16 years.

The average weight of adult reindeer has fallen to 48 kg from 55 kg in the 1990s, the study found.

&quot;Twelve per cent may not sound very much, but given how important body weight is to reproduction and survival, it&#39;s potentially huge,&quot; study leader Steve Albon of the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, told AFP.

Albon and his fellow researchers blame climate change for the shrinking reindeer.

Warmer winters mean more rain, which falls on snow and freezes into a sheet of ice, according to the BES.

The ice makes it harder for the herbivores to reach plant food.&nbsp;

&quot;The reindeer starve, aborting their calves or giving birth to much lighter young,&quot; AFP quoted the BES as saying.

Albon said reindeer numbers have increased over the past two decades. The rising population also means more competition for scarce food in winter.

The team has tracked Arctic reindeer since 1994, catching, marking and measuring 10-month-old calves every winter and returning the following year to recapture and note the animals&#39; size and weight, AFP said.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The weight of adult reindeer in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic has dropped by 12% over the past 16 years

Researchers on Monday warned that reindeer in the Arctic are shrinking due to climate change, news agency AFP reports. According to recent findings presented at the British Ecological Society (BES) in Liverpool, the average weight of reindeer in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic has dropped by 12 per cent over the past 16 years. The average weight of adult reindeer has fallen to 48 kg from 55 kg in the 1990s, the study found. "Twelve per cent may not sound very much, but given how important body weight is to reproduction and survival, it's potentially huge," study leader Steve Albon of the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, told AFP. Albon and his fellow researchers blame climate change for the shrinking reindeer. Warmer winters mean more rain, which falls on snow and freezes into a sheet of ice, according to the BES. The ice makes it harder for the herbivores to reach plant food. "The reindeer starve, aborting their calves or giving birth to much lighter young," AFP quoted the BES as saying. Albon said reindeer numbers have increased over the past two decades. The rising population also means more competition for scarce food in winter. The team has tracked Arctic reindeer since 1994, catching, marking and measuring 10-month-old calves every winter and returning the following year to recapture and note the animals' size and weight, AFP said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Reindeer shrinking, because of climate change

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