Setting the stage for a collision of religion and politics, 33 Christian ministers from 22 states will use their pulpits Sunday to deliver political sermons or endorse presidential candidates, defying a federal ban on campaigning by nonprofit groups.

The pastors who have signed on to the "pulpit initiative" have sparked loud condemnations by fellow clergy and advocates of the separation of church and state. "The integrity of the religious community is at stake when religion and politics become entangled," said the Rev. Eric Williams of the North Congregational United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio.

BLESSED TO BE SAFE FROM WITCHCRAFT

A video on her hometown church website shows Sarah Palin being blessed three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office.

The video, which made the rounds Wednesday on the Internet, shows Palin standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft." The date of the sermon listed on the church site is Oct. 16, 2005. Palin formally announced her gubernatorial bid two days later and was elected the next year.

Palin does not say anything on the video and keeps her head bowed throughout the blessing. The Republican vice-presidential candidate was baptized at the church but stopped attending it regularly in 2002.

CLOSE, BUT NO TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Sarah Palin defended her remark that the close proximity of Russia to her home state of Alaska gives her foreign policy experience, explaining in a CBS interview on Thursday that "we have trade missions back and forth." Palin has never visited Russia, and until last year the 44-year-old Alaska governor had never traveled outside North America. She also had never met a foreign leader until her trip this week to New York. In the CBS interview, she did not offer any examples of having been involved in any negotiations with the Russians.

CHASING THE OVERSEAS VOTE

Former Vice President Al Gore and actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson swept into London amid an intensifying battle for the donations -- and votes -- of Americans living overseas.

They joined Democrats in Britain for a series of events to raise money for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. A lunch, dinner and meetings in the British capital were part of a strategy aimed at boosting the number of votes cast by U.S. expatriates.

Bill Bernard, chairman in Britain of Democrats Abroad, the overseas arm of the Democratic Party, said activists were chasing the ballots of an estimated 300,000 potential voters in the United Kingdom.

PALIN POSTPONES FINANCIAL REPORT

Sarah Palin requested and received a four-day extension from the Federal Election Commission on the deadline for revealing her personal finances. The federal financial disclosure report was due Monday. Now, Palin has until Oct. 3, the day after her debate in St. Louis with Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joseph Biden.

Earlier this month, Biden released a decade of personal financial records that showed the veteran U.S. senator from Delaware earned less than many of his congressional colleagues. For example, Biden and his wife, Jill, earned $319,853 in 2007.

ASSOCIATED PRESS