PRESS DIGEST-Hong Kong - April 2

HONG KONG, April 2 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST -- Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and his cabinet finally pulled the plug on struggling broadcaster ATV on Wednesday, deciding not to renew its free-to-air licence which expires in November. (http://bit.ly/1P0zjVu) -- Hong Kong's securities watchdog fined Merrill Lynch Far East HK$2 million ($257,988) for violation of rules on position limits in its futures trading in 2013, the third time in five years the brokerage firm has been fined by the agency for breaches. (http://bit.ly/1Dqm6lH) THE STANDARD -- Telecom group PCCW Ltd's HK Television Entertainment will begin airing a 24-hour Cantonese channel within 12 months of the granting of its 12-year licence on Wednesday. (http://bit.ly/1Fj5JVM) -- Shoppers were seen carrying their own bags to grocery stores and markets on Wednesday as the latest government attempt to reduce the use of plastic bags got off to a promising start. (http://bit.ly/1GNeKZ7) -- Environment secretary Wong Kam-sing says the government will need to discuss with the two power companies reducing the rate of return from the current 9.99 percent to between 6 and 8 percent. (http://bit.ly/19HANTV) HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL -- The government expects over 20,000 units of private housing will be completed in 2016, the highest in 12 years and 5.2 percent more than this year. HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES -- Cheng Yu Tung resigned as chairman of Melbourne Enterprises Ltd on Wednesday due to a health condition, his last leadership role in a listed company after quitting Chow Tai Fook and New World Development in 2012. For Chinese newspapers, see............... ($1 = 7.7523 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting by Clare Jim; Editing by Prateek Chatterjee)