Hong Kong pro-democracy news website folds in face of rising political pressure

A popular Hong Kong pro-democracy website has closed, citing political pressure.

It's the latest sign of mounting tensions over Beijing's desire to hobble democratic reforms in the semiautonomous Chinese city, with activists threatening to shut down Hong Kong's heart with a major rally.

In a letter posted on the House News website over the weekend, one of the site's founders said he was "terrified" by Hong Kong's political atmosphere.

It said the website, founded in 2012, never received much advertising.

Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers took to the streets this month to press for full democracy. Activists have alarmed Beijing with a plan to rally 10,000 people to blockade the city's financial district if authorities fail to come up with electoral reforms that meet international standards.