March 13, 2001

National Association of Software and Services Companies says India will meet its target of $6.2 billion in technology exports in fiscal year ending in April despite economic slowdown in US; expects to hit next year's target of $9.5 billion; says Indian companies, with their low labor costs, will benefit from American companies that are anxious to cut their own costs, group's conference, Bangalore, India; photo (M)

Mir space station will dive into atmosphere in about a week, ending 15 years of circling earth; most of 135-ton station will burn up as it enters atmosphere, but 20 to 25 tons of it will probably continue to plunge and rain down on isolated target spot in South Pacific; Russia has spent months planning descent and assuring world that it can be done safely; drawings (L)

Allan Kozinn reviews New York City Opera's new production of La Boheme, at New York State Theater; photo (S)

Japanese government says economy sidestepped recession late last year, but news fails to dispel concerns that it is sliding toward crisis brought on by political immobility and slowdown in its largest export market, US; government reports Japan's gross domestic product grew 0.8 percent in fourth quarter of 2000; figures mean government will achieve its goal of 1.2 percent economic growth in fiscal year ended March 31; better than expected GDP figure does nothing for battered stock market, which is at its lowest level since April 1985; benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index falls 456.53 points, or 3.62 percent, to close at 12,171.37; yen drops in value to 120.52 to dollar; photo (M)

How Americans aged 12 to 17 watch television is almost as significant as what they watch; they do not all watch same television shows any more than they listen to same music; strong differences exist between girls and boys, blacks and whites; teenagers use television, in conjunction with Internet, to find people with whom they sense common bond; table shows teenagers' favorite shows, compared with all households; photos (L)