It's thought that Albert Einsten once said, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” Well, Einstein’s endorsement of the cluttered desk now has the backing of a team of researchers at the University of Minnesota. Ryan Rahinel is the author of a new study on orderliness, decision-making and creativity. He joins The Takeaway to discuss his findings about messy desks and the research behind it.

U.S. Extends Closure of Some Embassies & Diplomatic Posts | U.S. May End Drone Strikes in Pakistan | McConnell Faces Off With Tea Party, Democratic Candidates at Fancy Farm | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Biography | TVs Stay Dark Amid Time Warner, CBS Dispute | Messy Desks a Sign of Creativity |

Over the weekend, a terrorism threat prompted the United States to close dozens of American diplomatic posts in the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere. In addition to closing embassies, the Department of State issued a travel alert to U.S. citizens abroad. On Sunday the State Department extended the closure of some diplomatic posts. Joining us to discuss the closures is Mark Mazzetti, reporter for our partner The New York Times.

Russia Grants Snowden Asylum Despite U.S. Demands | Should Detroit Get a Bailout? | Paul Schrader On His Controversial New Film, "The Canyons" | Should The Severely Mental Ill Be Forced to Receive Treatment? | New Movie Releases of the Week: The Canyons & 2 Guns | In July, Economy ...

A new state law in Georgia called the “Lethal Injection Secrecy Act” keeps the names of pharmacies that manufacture the chemicals used in lethal injections secret from the public. Proponents of the law say it is there to protect the pharmaceutical manufacturers from protests and attacks. But at least one judge is questioning whether this new law is constitutional. Claire Simms, reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting, has been covering this story.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss Talks NSA, GOP's Future in Georgia | Congress Goes to Recess With Unfinished Business | The Benefits of Human Monogamy | Debate Rages On Over Georgia's Lethal Injection Secrecy Act | We Refugees: Returning from Iraq | The Science Behind Monogamy | Is Stability Finally Coming to Iraq?

Last week, at the urging of the White House, the House of Representatives defeated a bill to curb the NSA’s powers. But lawmakers are facing mounting pressure to limit government surveillance programs. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee. He has been exploring options for how best to modify the surveillance program. Senator Chambliss joins us on the program.

Car manufacturers are increasingly offering more and more ways for drivers to stay connected online even while driving. But could cars with cutting edge voice-activated hands-free systems pose a safety hazard because of the mental distractions they can create for drivers? Kara Miller, host of WGBH's Innovation Hub, discusses the newest technology showing up in cars and the implications for everyone’s safety. 

Army Private Bradley Manning was acquitted on charges of aiding the enemy by a military judge at Fort Meade, Maryland on Tuesday. Former New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller explains what the verdict means for Edward Snowden and future government whistle-blowers. Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Project, offers a legal perspective on the Manning verdict and the precedent it sets in First Amendment law.

Manning Verdict & First Amendment Rights | Latest High-Tech Tools in Cars are Distracting for Drivers | Manning Verdict's Impact on Snowden & Future Whitsleblowers | We Refugees: Growing Up in a Kenyan Refugee Camp | Examining the Recalculation of Global GDP Measurement | Braving Violence for the Sake of Journalism in Somalia

Yesterday, a military judge found Pvt. Bradley Manning not guilty of “aiding the enemy” for releasing hundreds of thousands of classified military documents to WikiLeaks. Amidst the mix of rumblings and applause that followed the verdict were the echoes of another case: the 1971 Pentagon Papers. Floyd Abrams defended The New York Times in that case, and joins The Takeaway to discuss the impact of yesterday's ruling on the freedom of the press and the First Amendment.

Despite receiving death threats, being beaten by insurgents, and even being arrested, Mustafa Haji Abdinur remains on the ground in Mogadishu to report on the continuing crisis and violence in Somalia. Mustafa was in New York City earlier this month where he spoke to the United Nations about threats to journalists around the world. He stopped by The Takeaway studios to talk about the uncertainties of reporting each day from Somalia, and how sometimes it is hard to see rays of hope in his own country.

Army Private Bradley Manning, who leaked thousands of classified Iraq and Afghanistan war logs to WikiLeaks, was found not guilty of aiding the enemy on Tuesday, the largest charge he faced in military court. He was, however, convicted of at least 15 other charges, including 5 charges of espionage. The private had pleaded guilty to 10 criminal counts in connection with the leak to WikiLeaks. Joining us to discuss the verdict is Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University's School of Law, and Ed Pilkington, reporter for The Guardian..

Amazon announced it will be adding 7,000 jobs nationwide: 5,000 warehouse positions and 2,000 in customer service. We take a closer look at Amazon—the world's largest online retailer—to understand how the company's customer service policies contributed to its global success. Jeofrey Bean, author of The Customer Experience Revolution, explains.

Bradley Manning Verdict: Not Guilty of Aiding Enemy | A Renewed Push for Middle East Peace | GOP Divided Over Obamacare | Amazon to Add 7000 Jobs | Archaeological Dig Uncovers Nation's Oldest Black Community | Taking a Trip to Saturn, at The Speed of Light | We Refugees:  Youth in ...

A team of scholars from the University of Maryland and Morgan State University have discovered what appears to be the oldest, independent community of free blacks in the U.S. Mark Leone is a professor of anthropology at the University of Maryland, who’s been heading the dig of “The Hill,” in the backyard of a building that dates back to the 1790s.