President of Belarus inaugurated despite disputed election

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has assumed his sixth term of office in an inauguration ceremony that wasn't announced in advance

State news agency Beltra reported that Wednesday's ceremony is taking place in the capital of Minsk, with several hundred top government official present

It comes after six weeks of mass protests against the official results of the August 9 presidential election that resulted in Lukashenko's reelection after 26 years in office in office. The opposition in Belarus has challenged the election as rigged.