.hp-news-events-section {
  position: relative;
  z-index: 0;
  padding: 2rem 0;
}
/*gg*/
.hp-news-events-section::before {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  inset: 0;
  background-image: url("/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/news-events-graphic-background-scaled.jpg");
  background-size: cover;
  background-position: center;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  z-index: -1;
  opacity: 1;
  min-height: 600px;
}

.hp-news-events-slider {
  overflow: hidden;
  min-height: 480px;
}

.hp-news-events-slider .swiper-slide {
  flex-shrink: 0;
  width: auto;
  min-width: 0;
  max-width: 100%;
  min-height: 100%;
}

.hp-news-events-section .section-heading {
  text-align: left;
  font-size: 2rem;
  margin: 0 0 1.5rem;
}

.news-card {
  background: white;
  border-radius: 1.5rem;
  padding: 1rem 1rem 2rem;
  overflow: hidden;
  min-height: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  /* box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px var(--stroke-color); */
}

.news-card-inner {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  flex-grow: 1;
  height: 100%;
  text-decoration: none;
  color: inherit;
}

.news-card-image img {
  width: 100%;
  aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
  object-fit: cover;
  border-radius: 0.8rem 0.8rem 0 0;
  display: block;
  margin-bottom: 1rem;
  height: auto;
}

.news-card-meta {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--almost-black);
  padding-bottom: 0.75rem;
  margin-bottom: 1rem;
  font-size: 0.9rem;
  font-weight: 500;
}

.news-card-category {
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0.5rem;
  color: var(--almost-black);
}

.category-dot {
  width: 0.75rem;
  height: 0.75rem;
  border-radius: 50%;
  display: inline-block;
}

.news-card-title {
  font-size: 1.5rem;
  margin: 0 0 0.5rem;
  font-weight: 600;
}

.news-card-content {
  padding: 0;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  flex-grow: 1;
}

.news-card-excerpt {
  font-size: 1.125rem;
  margin: 0 0 1rem;
  color: var(--almost-black);
  font-weight: 400;
}

.news-card-content .read-more {
  /* border-bottom: 2px solid currentColor; */
  padding-bottom: 0.1rem;
  transition: all 0.2s ease;
  /* text-decoration: none; */
  font-weight: 600;
  font-size: 0.95rem;
  margin-top: auto;
  text-decoration: underline;
  text-underline-offset: 0.2em;
  text-decoration-thickness: 2px;
  text-decoration-color: var(--deep-blue);
  margin-top: auto;
}

.news-card-content .read-more:hover,
.news-card-content .read-more:focus-visible {
  color: var(--almost-black);
  text-decoration-thickness: 3px;
  text-decoration-color: var(--pink);
  outline: none;
}

.hp-news-events-section .news-controls {
  position: static;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 1.5rem;
  margin: 2rem auto 1rem;
  width: 100%;
  max-width: var(--content-max, 1200px);
  padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
  border-radius: 2rem;
  pointer-events: auto;
}

.news-controls-inner {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 1.5rem;
}

.news-controls .swiper-button-prev,
.news-controls .swiper-button-next {
  all: unset;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  width: 3rem;
  height: 3rem;
  border-radius: 50%;
  flex-shrink: 0;
  border: 2px solid var(--deep-blue);
  color: var(--deep-blue);
  font-size: 1.5rem;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition:
    background-color 0.2s ease,
    color 0.2s ease;
  background-color: var(--white);
}

.news-controls .swiper-button-prev:hover,
.news-controls .swiper-button-next:hover {
  background-color: var(--deep-blue);
  color: var(--white);
}

.news-controls .swiper-button-prev:focus-visible,
.news-controls .swiper-button-next:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid var(--pink);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

.news-controls .swiper-pagination {
  position: static !important;
  transform: none !important;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 0.25rem;
  z-index: auto !important;
}

.news-controls .swiper-pagination-bullet {
  width: 0.75rem;
  height: 0.75rem;
  background: var(--white);
  opacity: 1;
  border-radius: 50%;
  transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
  border: 1px solid var(--deep-blue);
}

.news-controls .swiper-pagination-bullet-active {
  opacity: 1;
  background: var(--deep-blue);
}

.news-controls .swiper-button-next::after,
.news-controls .swiper-button-prev::after {
  display: none !important;
}

.category-general-news .category-dot {
  background: var(--claret);
}
.category-events .category-dot {
  background: var(--turquoise);
}

/* ========================================
   Equal height news cards
   ======================================== */
.hp-news-events-slider .swiper-wrapper {
  align-items: stretch; /* ensures all slides are same height */
}

.hp-news-events-slider .swiper-slide {
  display: flex; /* lets the card stretch inside */
  height: auto; /* override any Swiper fixed height */
}

.news-card {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  flex: 1 1 auto; /* allow card to stretch to fill slide */
  height: 100%; /* ensures consistent card height */
}

.news-card-content {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  flex: 1; /* makes content grow to fill card */
  justify-content: space-between;
}

@media (min-width: 64rem) {
  /* .hp-news-events-slider .swiper-slide {
    max-width: 32%;
    min-height: 540px;
  } */
  .news-card-content {
    padding: 0 0.75rem;
  }
  .news-controls .swiper-pagination {
    gap: 0.5rem;
  }

  .hp-news-events-section {
    padding: 4rem 0;
  }

  .hp-news-events-section .section-heading {
    font-size: 2.5rem;
    line-height: 1.2;
    margin: 0 0 2.5rem;
    text-align: center;
  }
}