(CNN) -- Virginia and North Carolina emergency and clean up crews on Monday continued their work assisting the displaced, restoring power to hundreds of thousands of customers and confirming the storm-related deaths of dozens of people.

Two soldiers have been killed and seven people hurt after a man in army uniform opened fire inside the Afghan defence ministry in Kabul, officials have said.

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- As fighting continued in the Libyan cities of Ajdabiya and Misrata Sunday, a rebel spokesman questioned the commitment of NATO's mission there.

Authorities in France have blocked trains from Italy in an attempt to stop north African migrants from entering the country. Trains carrying migrants and political activists have been stopped at the border - prompting Italy to launch an official complaint with its neighbour. Italy has angered France by giving out temporary resident permits to thousands of Tunisian migrants. The permits allow them to travel freely in many European countries. The Italian foreign ministry said the French move was "illegitimate and in clear violation of general European principles". Schengen infringement? Maurizio Furia, a spokesman for the Italian rail company, said that trains were not being allowed to pass into Menton, France, from the Italian border station of Ventimiglia. France says migrants have to prove they can support themselves financially and has set up patrols on the Italian border. But Italy says that France's actions are in violation of the EU's Schengen passport-free travel zone. "We have given the migrants travel documents, and we gave everything (else) that is needed, and the European Commission recognised that, it has said that Italy is following the Schengen rules," Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said in an interview on Italy's Sky TG24 TV. Italy and other European countries have been increasingly concerned about migration from north Africa following the political turmoil in the region. Earlier this month, Italy and France agreed to launch sea and air patrols to try to prevent the influx of thousands of people from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Hundreds of chanting supporters waved green flags and pledged loyalty to Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi after thunderous explosions believed to be NATO airstrikes pounded targets in the capital.

Tokyo (CNN) -- Engineers will need six to nine months to bring the damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant to heel, the plant's owners said Sunday in their first public timetable for ending the crisis.

Kaduna, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigerians headed to the polls Saturday to vote for president, a week after parliamentary elections were marred by violence and accusations of fraud in Africa's most populous nation.

Pro-government forces in Libya have been accused by a human rights campaign group of using cluster bombs, which are banned by more than 100 countries. Human Rights Watch said one of its photographers saw three mortar-launched projectiles explode over a residential area of Misrata, in western Libya.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he expects a state of emergency to be lifted law next week, after weeks of anti-government protests.

An international summit on Libya is under way in Qatar, with delegates hearing there is a "race against time" to help Libyan civilians. Qatar's crown prince said that every day that passed meant more victims. Rebels seeking to topple Col Gaddafi are making their first high-profile diplomatic appearance and will meet the newly formed "contact group" on Libya.

A suicide bomber has killed at least 10 people in an attack on tribal elders in eastern Afghanistan, the interior ministry has said. Pro-government tribal elder Haji Malik Zarin was killed in the blast in Kunar province near the Pakistan border.

(CNN) -- Women and children from a Syrian village rallied Wednesday for the release of their husbands and fathers snatched up by security forces the day before, an eyewitness told CNN. The women and children from Baida -- a village just southeast of the coastal city of Banias and north of Damascus -- are protesting the incarceration of men from the community.

Japanese authorities have raised the severity rating of their nuclear crisis to the highest level, seven. The decision reflects the total release of radiation at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant, which is ongoing, rather than a sudden deterioration.

Nato is not doing enough to destroy heavy weaponry used by Muammar Gaddafi's forces in Libya, France's foreign minister has said. Libyan civilians remain at risk, Alain Juppe said, despite an ongoing bombing campaign now led by Nato.

Washington (CNN) -- Partisan warfare over taxes and spending again takes center stage in Washington this week, as Congress considers a budget deal for the remainder of the current fiscal year and President Barack Obama unveils his long-awaited deficit reduction plan.

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Embattled Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has agreed in principle to stop all hostilities in his North African nation and let in outside forces to help keep the peace, his government and African Union mediators said Monday in a joint statement.

Helicopter gunships have begun a new operation to destroy heavy weapons near Laurent Gbagbo's residence in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan. UN and French helicopters were attacking near the presidential residence and palace as well as military bases, a UN spokesman said.

(CNN) -- At least four people died and 17 others were injured by sniper shots as Syrian army and security forces gathered in the northwestern city of Banias, an eyewitness said Sunday, the same day state news reported an ambush on an armed forces unit that killed nine.

Ibadan, Nigeria (CNN) -- Separate bomb blasts ripped through a polling station and a collation center in northeastern Nigeria Saturday as Africa's most populous nation began voting in elections marred by violence and delays.

Icelanders have rejected the latest plan to repay the UK and Netherlands some 4bn euros lost when the country's banking system collapsed in 2008. Partial referendum results show 58% voting no, and 42% supporting the plan.

Israel says it is willing to observe a ceasefire after days of military exchanges in Gaza, if Palestinian militants there end rocket attacks. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday: "If they stop firing on our communities, we will stop firing."