diff --git a/client/src/pages/home.tsx b/client/src/pages/home.tsx
index 4b89086..8f039c8 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/home.tsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/home.tsx
@@ -281,11 +281,27 @@ function FeaturedHeroCard({ article, focalPoints }: { article: Article; focalPoi
 }
 
 function FeaturedCarousel({ articles, popular, galleryImages, focalPoints }: { articles: Article[]; popular?: Article[]; galleryImages?: GalleryImage[]; focalPoints?: Record<string, { x: number; y: number }> }) {
-  const hero = articles[0];
-  const bottom = articles.slice(1, 3);
+  const pageSize = 3;
+  const totalPages = Math.max(1, Math.ceil(Math.min(articles.length, 9) / pageSize));
+  const [page, setPage] = useState(0);
+  const [paused, setPaused] = useState(false);
+
+  const next = useCallback(() => {
+    setPage((p) => (p + 1) % totalPages);
+  }, [totalPages]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (paused || totalPages <= 1) return;
+    const timer = setInterval(next, 8000);
+    return () => clearInterval(timer);
+  }, [paused, next, totalPages]);
+
+  const start = page * pageSize;
+  const hero = articles[start];
+  const bottom = articles.slice(start + 1, start + 3);
 
   return (
-    <section data-testid="featured-carousel">
+    <section data-testid="featured-carousel" onMouseEnter={() => setPaused(true)} onMouseLeave={() => setPaused(false)}>
       <div className="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-4">
         <div className="lg:col-span-2">
           <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4">
@@ -301,6 +317,13 @@ function FeaturedCarousel({ articles, popular, galleryImages, focalPoints }: { a
           {popular && popular.length > 0 && <TopStoriesList articles={popular} />}
         </div>
       </div>
+      {totalPages > 1 && (
+        <div className="flex justify-center gap-2 mt-3" data-testid="carousel-dots">
+          {Array.from({ length: totalPages }).map((_, i) => (
+            <button key={i} onClick={() => setPage(i)} className={`w-2 h-2 rounded-full transition-all duration-300 ${i === page ? "bg-primary w-5" : "bg-muted-foreground/30 hover:bg-muted-foreground/50"}`} data-testid={`button-carousel-dot-${i}`} />
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      )}
     </section>
   );
 }
@@ -346,10 +369,10 @@ export default function Home() {
     );
   }
 
-  const row2 = articles.slice(3, 5);
-  const row3 = articles.slice(5, 7);
-  const remaining = articles.slice(7);
-  const topStoriesCount = Math.min(12, articles.length);
+  const carouselEnd = Math.min(9, articles.length);
+  const row2 = articles.slice(carouselEnd, carouselEnd + 2);
+  const row3 = articles.slice(carouselEnd + 2, carouselEnd + 4);
+  const remaining = articles.slice(carouselEnd + 4);
   const rows: Article[][] = [];
   for (let i = 0; i < remaining.length; i += 4) {
     rows.push(remaining.slice(i, i + 4));