The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded approximately 1.6 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($10,000,000) in grant assistance to an American NGO to engage local communities in reconciliation activities in Sri Lanka.

The three-year initiative by Global Communities will partner with the Government of Sri Lanka and local civil society to address underlying challenges to reconciliation, the US Embassy in Colombo said in a statement.

The project is supposed to “promote a shared and inclusive Sri Lankan identity, reduce socio-economic disparities, and strengthen resilience among multi-ethnic and multi-religious communities.”

“Our people should be in constant touch with each other. So that we know each other better and become even closer friends,” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a gathering in Jaffna on Saturday.

Sri Lanka’s president pledged that he would press ahead with implementing capital punishment on the island, despite facing a barrage of criticism for the decision.

"I will go ahead with executing drug convicts," said Maithripala Sirisena at an event in Polonnaruwa on Saturday.

At least 50 bodies have been excavated from a mass grave in Mannar, including those of women and children, reports Journalists for Democracy.

"After examining the dental structure of the skeletal remains we can clearly identify three children with milk teeth," lead investigator Dr Saminda Rajapaksha told JDS.

That number is set to rise as excavations continue at the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (SATHOSA) premises.

The Indian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Lanka this week to build 3400 toilets in Batticaloa as part of a sanitation project. 

The project is to involve a 300 million SL rupees grant from the Indian government. 

The MoU was signed by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Taranjit Singh Sandhu and the secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy, Renuka Ekanayake. 

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is to launch its own online channel named 'TGTE TV'. 

In a statement announcing the launch event, TGTE said the free channel would be for news and entertainment. 

After 13 years imprisoned under Sri Lanka's notorious anti-terror legislation, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a Tamil political prisoner was allowed just one hour with this family at his father's funeral. 

Thangavel Sivakumar, originally from Kilinochchi, was brought to the funeral on Friday under police escort. His wife, children and mother hugged him and cried as he was taken away. 

The former presidential secretary and Eastern Province Governor, Austin Fernando is to become Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India. 

Mr Fernando resigned as Sirisena's Secretary at the beginning of this month. 

He also served as Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary from 2001-2002.

The Karaithuraipattu (Maritimepattu) divisional council (prathesa sabai) in Mullaitivu has resolved to stop a Buddhist vihara from being constructed on Tamil people’s land in Semmalai East - Neeraviyadi.

An attempt is underway to appropriate Tamil-owned land to construct a vihara in the area. Surveyors attempted to access the land on July 3rd to inspect the land but failed due to protest and resistance by locals.

The Sri Lankan Army engaged in preparations for a large-scale event in Jaffna Town to mark the handover of ambulances funded by India.