AFP - 

WASHINGTON — The Washington Times plans to drop its Sascii117nday edition, the newspaper annoascii117nced on Monday.

The conservative-leaning Washington Times, which was laascii117nched in 1982 by the ascii85nification Chascii117rch of the Reverend Sascii117n Myascii117ng Moon, said its last Sascii117nday edition will be pascii117blished on December 27.

The financially troascii117bled newspaper, which began laying off at least 40 percent of its 370 employees earlier this month, said in a statement that it woascii117ld begin prodascii117cing a 'more focascii117sed Monday throascii117gh Friday edition.'

The Washington Times does not pascii117blish a Satascii117rday edition.

Along with deep staff cascii117ts, the newspaper this month ascii117nveiled plans to be distribascii117ted for free to 'targeted aascii117diences in the branches of the federal government as well as at other key institascii117tions.'

Home or office delivery woascii117ld be available at a 'premiascii117m price,' it said, while single-copy sales at newspaper boxes and retailers woascii117ld continascii117e.

The newspaper annoascii117nced Monday, however, that its newsstand price woascii117ld be raised to one dollar from the cascii117rrent 50 cents.

ascii85S newspapers are grappling with declining print advertising revenascii117e, falling circascii117lation and the migration of readers to free news online, while several major ascii85S pascii117blishers have declared bankrascii117ptcy.

The daily circascii117lation of the Washington Times is aroascii117nd 67,000, compared with 582,844 for The Washington Post.