News In Brief

2 US diplomats detained by Soviets for 2 hours

Two diplomats from the US Embassy in Moscow were held for two hours by Soviet authorities Wednesday after being detained while ''talking to a Soviet citizen, '' an embassy spokesman said.

The spokesman said political officer Jon Purnell and consular officer George Glass were accused of ''activities inconsistent with diplomatic status.'' The US Embassy protested what the spokesman called ''unjustifiable detention'' and also complained to the Soviet Foreign Ministry that the two diplomats had been unable to contact their embassy.