Europe's financial crisis eased Thursday as Greece installed a respected economist to replace its prime minister and Italy appeared poised to do the same — both hoping that monetary experts can do better than the politicians who drove their nations so deeply into debt. The announcement in Athens — coupled with the prospect that volatile Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will be ushered out soon — quieted market fears, at least for now, that turmoil in Europe could threaten the global economy. But significant challenges remain in both debt-heavy Mediterranean countries. Greece's new prime minister, Lucas ... (full story)