
(CNN) – A million and a half people flooded the National Mall Tuesday for the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States, according to an analysis of satellite imagery provided to CNN by IHS Jane's.
Related: Explore the satellite image of the Mall
The image used by IHS Jane's to estimate the crowd size was taken at 11:19 a.m. and included the areas blocked off for the 240,000 ticket-holders and the rest of the Mall, where the general public gathered for the event.
IHS Jane's is a leading information provider on defense, international risk and national security to governments, militaries, industries and academia around the world.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - As his first official action after being sworn in, President Barack Obama signed three documents Tuesday, including a proclamation declaring a day of national renewal and reconciliation.
"I'm a lefty. Get used to it," Obama quipped as he signed his name. "I was told not to swipe the pen."
The past three presidents signed similar reconciliation proclamations upon being sworn in.
Also signed by Obama were Cabinet and sub-Cabinet nominations. Those nominations will be presented to the Senate when it meets at 3 p.m. Tuesday,
and are necessary before the full Senate can confirm the nominations, according
to Senate staff members.

The president and first lady walked for portions of the parade route along Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday. (Photo Credit: CNN)
WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Obama took to the street for part of his procession from the Capitol to the White House, prompting screams and chants of his names from spectators on the sidelines.
Watch: The president and first lady walk down Penn. Ave.
Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, left the limousines they were riding in and walked under heavy security from near the National Archives building to near the Justice Department. They then returned to their vehicles - although Biden climbed back out to walk the street and wave to the crowd again as they neared the White House.
The parade, which runs just under two miles, took Obama from the U.S. Capitol, where he had lunch with congressional leaders, to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Hours before the parade started, the stands at the end of the route started filling up with an excited crowd.
The seats, right near where President Obama will sit to watch the parade were treated to an explanation of the day's events by the announcer.
Hours before Obama was scheduled to join them in the presidential reviewing stand, the announcer told them the newly sworn-in president would be eating lunch at the Capitol.
"So while you are freezing, they are having a wonderful time," the announcer joked over the parade route speakers.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A few minutes after Obama spoke, Vanessa Reed reflected on the speech as she sat with her daughters across from the presidential reviewing stand at the end of the parade route.
"It was beautiful. It spoke to the issues of the moment," said Reed, who worked for the campaign. "I am proud this country saw what we saw in him."
Not as impressed: her youngest daughter Brooke.
"It was so boring," said Brooke, 4. Reed said her daughters, Brooke and older daughter Gabrielle, 6, understood the moment.
"They understand it is all a celebration," said Reed, who added that they were really excited about seeing Miley Cyrus at the inaugural concert this weekend.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, collapsed Tuesday afternoon during a congressional luncheon held for President Barack Obama in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.
Paramedics were called to the scene at 2:35 p.m. ET. Kennedy, who appeared to be suffering from a seizure, was transported to Washington Hospital Center.
He was later alert and talking to family, Washington Hospital Center spokeswoman Paula Faria said.
"Senator Kennedy had a seizure" which "lasted a while," a Republican House member told CNN. The member said Kennedy was still experiencing seizures when he was put in a wheelchair and taken out through the Rayburn room, located to the side of Statuary Hall.
Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch all accompanied Kennedy to the hospital, Hatch told CNN.
"He looked like he was going to be OK," Hatch said.
Obama mentioned Kennedy's condition while speaking at the luncheon.
Kennedy "was there when the Voting Rights Act passed," the new president said. "Along with John Lewis, (he) was a warrior for justice. And so I would be lying to you if I did not say that right now, a part of me is with him. And I think that's true for all of us. This is a joyous time. But it's also a sobering time, and my prayers are with him and his family and (his wife) Vicki."
Kennedy, 76, was first elected to the Senate in 1962.
Also during the luncheon, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia, appeared to be experiencing some difficulty, but Capitol Police spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider said he is fine.
Byrd, 91, was first elected in 1958.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Orrin Hatch said Tuesday Sens. Dodd, Kerry and Hatch all accompanied Kennedy to the ambulance after he collapsed at the Capitol luncheon held in honor of President Obama.
"He looked like he was going to be ok. We all prayed for him," Hatch told CNN producer Evan Glass.
On the Senate floor, the chaplain offered a special prayer for the Massachusetts senator. "In a special way today, we ask for your healing hands to be placed upon Senator Teddy Kennedy," he said. "Oh god, you are a healer, and we claim your promise that if we will ask in faith, you will respond."
Sen. Patrick Leahy just said that after Kennedy had problems, President Obama went to the area. "He came back and seemed very, very concerned. He spoke to others and asked for a moment of silence," said Leahy.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – In stands along the parade route, Ashley Jeter shared the moment of Barack Obama's inauguration with her Aunt Collette in Charlotte NC. "I was screaming, excited, joyful. My aunt was screaming too," said Jeter.
Jeter traveled with her friend Courtney to Washington from Hampton University in Virginia where they are freshmen. Both young women were first-time voters in this presidential election, and dedicated Obama supporters who got up at 4 am on Election Day. After celebrating all night Monday, they set out set out at 5 am Tuesday morning to get to their spot on the parade route.
LONDON, England (CNN) – Almost everyone wants to be the friend of newly inaugurated U.S. President Barack Obama - none more so than his fellow European leaders.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Many claim he has already had his first meeting with a foreign head of state.
Obama met with Mexican President Felipe Calderon last week, afterwards telling media that there was an "extraordinary relationship."
GAZA CITY, Gaza (CNN) – As Barack Obama took the oath of office Tuesday, the head of the United Nations was touring war-ravaged Gaza and southern Israel - and taking the opportunity to send a message to the new U.S. leader.
A Palestinian man throws debris out of his destroyed house in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip on January 20, 2009.
"I sincerely hope that President Obama will take as a matter of priority these Middle East policies," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told CNN, when asked his advice for Obama.
Speaking during a visit to Sderot, a city in southern Israel that has endured rocket fire from Hamas for years, Ban said the Bush administration "has been leading and heavily engaged" in the region, and he noted the "Annapolis peace process." But, he added, "Unfortunately, we have not achieved the goals."


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