Sept 5 (Reuters) - The following were the top stories in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

* Facebook Inc took steps on Tuesday to reassure investors and employees worried about its plummeting stock price, as the social network's shares hit new lows.

* Apple Inc invited the media to a product announcement Sept. 12 at which it is widely expected to announce a new iPhone. Several media outlets had already reported on the date of the event, which coincides with when Apple typically introduces a new version of its flagship device.

* Technology blogs were abuzz on Tuesday with news that a group of hackers leaked a million ID numbers from Apple devices-numbers that they claim to have taken from a database that also had people's other personal information on it.

* The owner of Hudson's Bay Co., North America's oldest company, has hired banks to explore an initial public offering of the firm's Canadian and U.S. stores for as early as this October, according to people familiar with the matter.

* The European Union escalated its push to break Russian domination of Europe's natural-gas supplies as it launched an investigation on Tuesday into suspected efforts by Moscow's state-owned energy giant OAO Gazprom to lock up markets on the bloc's eastern flanks.

* A judge said on Tuesday that AMR Corp can reject labor agreements with its pilots union, 20 days after he forced the American Airlines' parent to make changes to the proposal.