FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone's president has declared a national emergency over rape and sexual violence, saying perpetrators are getting younger and their acts more violent.

In a keynote address on Thursday, President Julius Maada Bio said hundreds of cases of rape and sexual assault are reported each month in the West African nation against women, girls and babies as young as three months old.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone's anti-corruption commission says a former vice president and former minister have been arrested as the West African nation's new leader takes aim at graft.

Commission spokesman Abubakarr Turay says former Vice President Victor Foh and former Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Minkailu Mansaray were detained Thursday.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Amnesty International is calling on Sierra Leone's new government to end police crackdowns on peaceful protesters and improve human rights.

In a new report, the rights group says nine protesters have been killed and more than 80 injured in peaceful demonstrations over the past decade but no police officer has been held criminally responsible.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Members of Sierra Leone's All People's Congress party have walked out of parliament after police escorted at least 15 of their colleagues from the chamber for disrupting proceedings.

Sierra Leone's newly elected lawmakers were sworn in Wednesday.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — A member of the losing political party has filed a legal challenge to Sierra Leone's presidential election, claiming irregularities and asking for a fresh vote.

Sylvia Olayinka Blyden's petition asks the Supreme Court to nullify the results of the election in which Julius Maada Bio last week was declared the winner.

Bio, his Sierra Leone Peoples Party and the national election commission were being served copies of the petition on Wednesday.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone's new president in an interview with The Associated Press is pledging to avoid the "ethnic cleansing" of clearing out government posts for his supporters.

Julius Maada Bio spoke the day after winning the West African nation's runoff election. The former opposition candidate and military leader now faces the challenge of helping the country of 7 million people recover from the devastating Ebola epidemic of 2014-2016.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone's former ruling party intends to challenge the results of the presidential runoff vote in court, the losing candidate announced after the opposition party won for the first time in a decade.

The National Electoral Commission announced late Wednesday that Julius Maada Bio with the Sierra Leone Peoples Party party had won. Bio, who had lost the presidential election in 2012, was swiftly sworn into office just before midnight.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone's election commission declared main opposition candidate Julius Maada Bio as the West African nation's new president Wednesday, giving the opposition party its first presidency in 10 years.

Chief Justice Abdulai Charm swore in the new leader along with Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh just hours after the announcement. Bio pledged to govern for all Sierra Leoneans at the ceremony.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone's opposition presidential candidate warned Sunday that his party will not accept delaying Tuesday's runoff vote after the High Court granted an interim injunction he called a delay tactic by the ruling party.

In a press conference televised live on Sunday, Julius Maada Bio accused President Ernest Bai Koroma and his All Peoples Congress party of "pushing us to the point of chaos in the country."

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Election officials in Sierra Leone say balloting to choose the country's next president is heading to a second round in two weeks.

Samura Kamara, outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma's pick as successor, will face off against Julius Maada Bio, who lost to Koroma in 2012.

Bio took 43.3 percent to Kamara's 42.7 percent in the first round of voting last week, according to results released late Tuesday. The two emerged from a crowded field of 16 candidates.

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — The Latest on Sierra Leone's election (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

Authorities in Sierra Leone's capital report clashes have broken out amid political tensions on Election Day.

Voters were choosing between 16 candidates, though the skirmishes were reportedly between supporters of the two front-runners.

Riot police have intervened and at least one person has been stabbed in the melee and is being treated for wounds at the hospital.