At the moment, Russia and the US appear to be engaged in a diplomatic shouting match. Each side is dramatically expressing exasperation. But beneath the surface, Russia may be looking for practical answers. And the US might be able to give them. “I believe we understand each other better after today,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists just hours ago.

The video of a United Airlines customer being dragged from his seat points to many travelers' pent-up frustrations. While those in first class get everything short of a shiatsu massage, coach passengers get hassles, delays, and maybe a bag of peanuts, it seems. But here's the thing. Air travel is cheaper than ever. You get what you pay for, experts say.

It's easy to blame Washington for political hyperpartisanship, but most experts say it's the country that's polarized and D.C. is just amplifying it. A key Georgia election raises the question: Are we seeing a rebellion of the middle or simply another turn in the cycle of partisan backlash?

From Africa to India, some of the best-run public services aren't public at all. They're run by citizens who step in where the government fails – from recycling to transportation. Now, these countries face a balancing act: How to improve services without squelching the remarkable entrepreneurship that has sprouted. 

And finally, we look at the transforming effect of knowing someone's name. We all know we don't want to be treated like a number. A recent study examines why. When we begin to see others as real people, behavior changes for the better.

As it loses ground elsewhere in the Middle East, the Islamic State (ISIS) has stepped up terrorist attacks in Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country but also home to the region’s largest Christian community. The latest attack was the killing of 45 people at two Christian churches on Palm Sunday. ISIS seems intent on sparking a religious conflict between Egypt’s majority Muslims and minority Christians. Yet if anything, the attacks have drawn the faiths closer. Other countries that seek a good defense against ISIS should take note of how Egyptians are countering the militants’ message.

A good example was an interview on Cairo’s Dream TV with the nephew of a Muslim policewoman assigned to protect Coptic Christian churches but who was killed in the April 9 attacks. “I say to our Coptic Christian brothers and sisters. Do not be sad. Muslims and Christians are one. It’s not about Muslim attacking Christians,” said the nephew, Islam Fathi. His words echoed those of many leaders in Egyptian society.

Egypt has struggled for decades to calm sectarian tensions between Coptic Christians and Muslims. ISIS is well aware of the occasional violent flare-ups in local communities. And the government could be doing far more, such as giving Copts greater rights and privileges while also offering better protection of churches.

Yet the best attempt to safeguard Muslim-Christian coexistence comes from the top two religious leaders, Grand Imam Muhammad al-Tayyeb and Coptic Pope Tawadros II. In 2011, the two launched an effort, known as “The House of the Egyptian Family,” to reform religious teachings about the others and seek to end the root causes of religious violence.

The program sends out teams of Islamic imams and Coptic priests to meet with young people and to go into villages with high sectarian tensions. The teams hold sessions on reconciliation that focus on each faith’s shared message of peace for a diverse society like Egypt’s.

The rest of the Middle East needs similar models of such cross-faith harmony. They would be a soft but powerful weapon against the hate and violence of both ISIS and Al Qaeda.