October 5, 2005 (Wednesday)
- Level 3 Communications terminates peering connectivity between its Internet network and the one belonging to Cogent Communications over a financial dispute. As a result, thousands of Internet users are unable to access some sites. (PC World)
- England international football player Wayne Rooney is named as FIFA SOS Ambassador for England, in support of the official FIFA World Cup charity. (the FA) (SOS)
- Uganda-born John Sentamu is formally confirmed in office as the Archbishop of York, the second-highest post in the Church of England. (BBC) (The Telegraph) Archived 2007-03-13 at the Wayback Machine
- U.S. Marine Leandro Aragoncillo is indicted for espionage, accused of passing classified information from the Vice President's office to the Philippines. (Reuters)
- The Roman Catholic bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland issue a teaching guide which explains biblical passages should not be taken literally. The Creation, Garden of Eden and the creation of Eve from Adam's rib are considered to be "symbolic language". (Scotsman)
- Russian President Vladimir Putin in a ceremony at 10 Downing Street awards the Order of Maritime Service to six British military and civilian personnel responsible for the rescue of the mini-submarine AS-28 off the Kamchatka Peninsula. (North West Evening Mail)
- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awards Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs, and Richard R. Schrock the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, "for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis". (Nobelprize.org)
- South Thailand insurgency: Five Thai soldiers are killed in a drive-by shooting in Thailand's Narathiwat province. (BBC)
- Conflict in Iraq: The British Government alleges that Iran is responsible for recent attacks on British military forces. (BBC)
- Hurricane Stan strikes Mexico and Central America, at least 66 people have died, most of them in landslides in El Salvador. (CBC)
- Braving the threat of a veto from United States President George W. Bush, U.S. Senate Republicans joined Democrats, voting 90 to 9 to amend defense spending bill with a ban the use of torture by U.S. military forces. (FT)[permanent dead link] (Mercury News)
- The National Hockey League returns after a year-long lockout. Opening night featured all 30 teams in action, including Sidney Crosby's debut against the New Jersey Devils and Alexander Ovechkin's debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets where he scored 2 goals.