PRESS DIGEST - Washington Post Business - May 17

WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) - The Washington Post included the following items on the front page of its business section on May 17. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

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Consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton is selling its U.S. government business to private-equity firm Carlyle Group for $2.54 billion and spinning off its commercial business into a separate company.

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The Bush administration reversed policy and halted purchases of crude oil for the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

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General Electric said it was seeking strategic options for its appliance division.

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Maintenance work by American Airlines on hundreds of jets was so sloppy that it posed a safety risk, according to a report by federal regulators released on Friday.