World IN BRIEF : AFGHANISTAN : Soviets Cut Off Weapons Airlift

The Soviet Union has stopped flying arms to the Kabul government, preparing to bring down the curtain on its involvement in the war, government officials and diplomats said. The halt comes two weeks ahead of the Jan. 1 deadline set by Washington and Moscow for ending military aid to government forces and Muslim guerrillas in the hope that the cutoff will encourage the warring sides to find a peaceful settlement to their 13-year-old conflict. Diplomatic sources said the Soviets decided to stop the airlift early as a show of good faith to the guerrillas.