diff --git a/src/themes/dspace/app/home-page/home-news/home-news.component.scss b/src/themes/dspace/app/home-page/home-news/home-news.component.scss
index 3c3aa8b445..d00b0ec959 100644
--- a/src/themes/dspace/app/home-page/home-news/home-news.component.scss
+++ b/src/themes/dspace/app/home-page/home-news/home-news.component.scss
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   div.background-image-container {
     color: white;
     position: relative;
+    font-weight: 600;
 
     .background-image > img {
       background-color: var(--bs-info);
@@ -68,6 +69,11 @@
       color: var(--ds-home-news-link-hover-color);
     }
   }
+
+  .lead {
+    font-size: 1.25rem;
+    font-weight: 400;
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_css_variable_overrides.scss b/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_css_variable_overrides.scss
index d016ff4032..8b95cd0033 100644
--- a/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_css_variable_overrides.scss
+++ b/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_css_variable_overrides.scss
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     --ds-header-height: 90px;
   }
 
-  --ds-banner-text-background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45);
+  --ds-banner-text-background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.58);
   --ds-banner-background-gradient-width: 300px;
 
   --ds-header-navbar-border-bottom-height: 5px;
diff --git a/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_sass_variable_overrides.scss b/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_sass_variable_overrides.scss
index 17155b15a1..3750b1f826 100644
--- a/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_sass_variable_overrides.scss
+++ b/src/themes/dspace/styles/_theme_sass_variable_overrides.scss
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ $navbar-dark-color: #fff;
 
 /*** CUSTOM DSPACE VARIABLES ***/
 
-$ds-home-news-link-color: #92c642;
+$ds-home-news-link-color: #D2FC93;
 $ds-header-navbar-border-bottom-color: #92c642;
 
 $ds-breadcrumb-link-color: #154E66 !default;