A Sri Lankan government minister, DM Dassanayake, has died in hospital after a roadside bomb attack on his convoy. The minister for nation-building was travelling between Colombo and the international airport when the bomb went off. A bodyguard also died.
About 10 other people were wounded in the blast in the town of Ja-Ela, some 12 miles (19km) north of Colombo.
Tamil Tiger rebels have been blamed for the attack. Fighting between troops and rebels has worsened in recent months.
There has been no comment from the Tigers.
Later on Tuesday there was another explosion, this time in central Colombo. It is not clear what caused the blast, which police say caused no damage or injury.