This 55-foot-tall statue of the Jolly Green Giant — the instantly recognizable icon for General Mills' Green Giant line of frozen vegetables — is in Blue Earth, Minn., about 100 miles away from the company's headquarters in Minneapolis. Robin Zebrowski/Flickr hide caption

American Journalist James Foley, pictured in 2011. Foley's beheading at the hands of the Islamic State militant group has forced a debate over how the U.S. balances its policy of not paying ransoms. Steven Senne/AP hide caption

An Iraqi Shiite militia fighter holds a position in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad, on May 26. With the Iraqi military performing poorly, militias have played an increasingly important role in the fight against the Islamic State. Mohammed Sawaf/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Unsurprisingly, "Route 66" is one of listeners' favorite road-trip songs. Randy Heinitz/Flickr hide caption

A glitch in the State Department's visa system has affected people around the world. Many, including athletes, workers and students, have been unable to enter the United States. Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Lannie Castagne teaches first grade at Brimley Elementary School. She does monthly reading assessments to make sure her students are on track. Jennifer Guerra/Michigan Public Radio hide caption

Najuel Gaylord plays foosball at the Lillian S. Jones Recreation Center in West Baltimore's Sandtown neighborhood. Local recreation centers, which have a long tradition in Baltimore, provide a much-needed refuge for children in some of the city's poorest areas. Jennifer Ludden/NPR hide caption

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (left) speaks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at their meeting in Tokyo. The two countries are marking the 50th anniversary of establishing relations. While leaders in both countries stressed the importance of the ties, a bitter history continues to strain the relationship. Issei Kato/AP hide caption