A Christmas cracker was announced Thursday as Britain and the European Union (EU) finally secured a free trade deal following nine months of tortuous negotiations. With only a week to go before the Brexit transition period ends on Dec. 31, the deal brought much relief to politicians and businesses across Europe and looked to help both sides of the English Channel rebuild their trust following years of Brexit bitterness. However, not everyone was happy with the deal, which will govern the EU-UK trade and security relationship starting from Jan. 1, 2021. Challenges still remain as Britain and the EU part as "old friends" in the new year.
