:root {
    --red: #e02020;
    --dark: #111111;
    --gray: #6b7280;
    --light-gray: #f4f4f4;
    --border: #e5e7eb;
    --font-heading: 'Playfair Display', Georgia, serif;
    --font-body: 'Source Sans 3', sans-serif;
  }

  * { box-sizing: border-box; }

  body {
    font-family: var(--font-body);
    color: var(--dark);
    background: #fff;
    font-size: 15px;
  }

  /* ── TOPBAR ─────────────────────────────────────── */
  .topbar {
    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
    padding: 8px 0;
    font-size: 13px;
  }
  .topbar a { color: var(--dark); text-decoration: none; }
  .topbar a:hover { color: var(--red); }

  /* ── LOGO ───────────────────────────────────────── */
  .site-logo {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: clamp(22px, 4vw, 32px);
    font-weight: 900;
    color: var(--dark);
    text-decoration: none;
    letter-spacing: -0.5px;
    line-height: 1;
  }
  .site-logo span { color: var(--red); }
  .site-tagline { font-size: 11px; color: var(--gray); letter-spacing: 0.5px; }

  /* ── SEARCH ─────────────────────────────────────── */
  .search-form { max-width: 220px; }
  .search-form input {
    border: 1px solid var(--border);
    border-right: none;
    border-radius: 2px 0 0 2px;
    font-size: 13px;
    padding: 6px 10px;
  }
  .search-form input:focus { outline: none; box-shadow: none; border-color: var(--red); }
  .search-form button {
    background: var(--red);
    border: none;
    color: #fff;
    border-radius: 0 2px 2px 0;
    padding: 6px 12px;
  }
  .search-form button:hover { background: #b91c1c; }

  /* ── NAVBAR ─────────────────────────────────────── */
  .main-nav {
    border-bottom: 2px solid var(--border);
    padding: 0;
  }
  .main-nav .nav-link {
    font-weight: 600;
    font-size: 13px;
    text-transform: uppercase;
    letter-spacing: 0.6px;
    color: var(--dark);
    padding: 12px 14px;
    border-bottom: 3px solid transparent;
    transition: color .2s, border-color .2s;
  }
  .main-nav .nav-link:hover,
  .main-nav .nav-link.active {
    color: var(--red);
    border-bottom-color: var(--red);
  }
  .navbar-nav .active{
    color: var(--red) !important;
    border-bottom-color: var(--red);
  }
  .navbar-toggler { border: none; }
  .navbar-toggler:focus { box-shadow: none; }

  /* ── BREAKING NEWS ──────────────────────────────── */
  .breaking-bar {
    background: var(--dark);
    color: #fff;
    font-size: 13px;
    padding: 8px 0;
    overflow: hidden;
  }
  .breaking-label {
    background: var(--red);
    font-weight: 700;
    font-size: 11px;
    letter-spacing: 1px;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    white-space: nowrap;
    flex-shrink: 0;
  }
  .breaking-text {
    white-space: nowrap;
    animation: ticker 20s linear infinite;
  }
  @keyframes ticker {
    0%   { transform: translateX(60px); }
    100% { transform: translateX(-100%); }
  }

  /* ── SECTION LABEL ──────────────────────────────── */
  .section-label {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: 18px;
    font-weight: 700;
    border-left: 4px solid var(--red);
    padding-left: 10px;
    margin-bottom: 20px;
  }

  /* ── HERO / TOP STORIES ─────────────────────────── */
  .hero-card {
    position: relative;
    overflow: hidden;
    border-radius: 3px;
    height: 100%;
  }
  .hero-card img {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    object-fit: cover;
    display: block;
    transition: transform .4s ease;
  }
  .hero-card:hover img { transform: scale(1.03); }
  .hero-overlay {
    position: absolute;
    bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
    background: linear-gradient(transparent, rgba(0,0,0,.85));
    padding: 60px 20px 20px;
    color: #fff;
  }
  .hero-overlay h2 {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: clamp(18px, 2.5vw, 24px);
    font-weight: 700;
    margin-bottom: 8px;
    line-height: 1.25;
  }
  .hero-overlay p { font-size: 13px; margin: 0; opacity: .9; }
  .hero-tag {
    display: inline-block;
    background: var(--red);
    color: #fff;
    font-size: 10px;
    font-weight: 700;
    letter-spacing: 1px;
    padding: 2px 8px;
    text-transform: uppercase;
    margin-bottom: 8px;
  }

  /* Side story cards */
  .side-card {
    border-radius: 3px;
    overflow: hidden;
    height: 100%;
  }
  .side-card img {
    width: 100%;
    aspect-ratio: 16/9;
    object-fit: cover;
    display: block;
    transition: transform .4s ease;
  }
  .side-card:hover img { transform: scale(1.03); }
  .side-card-body { padding: 10px 0; }
  .side-card-body h3 {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: 15px;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin: 0;
    line-height: 1.35;
  }
  .side-card-body h3 a { color: var(--dark); text-decoration: none; }
  .side-card-body h3 a:hover { color: var(--red); }

  /* ── 4-COLUMN GRID ──────────────────────────────── */
  .grid4-card img {
    width: 100%;
    aspect-ratio: 4/3;
    object-fit: cover;
    border-radius: 3px;
    display: block;
    transition: transform .4s ease;
  }
  .grid4-card:hover img { transform: scale(1.03); }
  .grid4-card h4 {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: 14px;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin-top: 8px;
    line-height: 1.35;
  }
  .grid4-card h4 a { color: var(--dark); text-decoration: none; }
  .grid4-card h4 a:hover { color: var(--red); }

  /* ── FEATURED STRIP ─────────────────────────────── */
  .featured-strip { background: var(--light-gray); padding: 28px 0; }
  .feat-card {
    position: relative;
    overflow: hidden;
    border-radius: 3px;
    aspect-ratio: 4/3;
  }
  .feat-card img {
    width: 100%; height: 100%;
    object-fit: cover;
    display: block;
    transition: transform .4s;
  }
  .feat-card:hover img { transform: scale(1.05); }
  .feat-card-overlay {
    position: absolute; inset: 0;
    background: linear-gradient(transparent 40%, rgba(0,0,0,.7));
    opacity: 0; transition: opacity .3s;
  }
  .feat-card:hover .feat-card-overlay { opacity: 1; }

  /* ── NEWS + MOST POPULAR ────────────────────────── */
  .news-item {
    display: flex;
    gap: 16px;
    padding: 18px 0;
    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
  }
  .news-item:last-child { border-bottom: none; }
  .news-item-img {
    flex-shrink: 0;
    width: 130px;
    height: 90px;
    object-fit: cover;
    border-radius: 3px;
  }
  @media (max-width: 576px) {
    .news-item-img { width: 100px; height: 72px; }
  }
  .news-item-body h5 {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: 15px;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin-bottom: 6px;
    line-height: 1.35;
  }
  .news-item-body h5 a { color: var(--dark); text-decoration: none; }
  .news-item-body h5 a:hover { color: var(--red); }
  .news-item-body p { font-size: 13px; color: var(--gray); margin: 0; line-height: 1.5; }

  /* Most Popular */
  .popular-list { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; }
  .popular-list li {
    display: flex;
    gap: 14px;
    align-items: flex-start;
    padding: 14px 0;
    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
  }
  .popular-list li:last-child { border-bottom: none; }
  .pop-num {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: 26px;
    font-weight: 900;
    color: var(--border);
    line-height: 1;
    flex-shrink: 0;
    width: 28px;
  }
  .pop-title {
    font-size: 13px;
    font-weight: 600;
    line-height: 1.4;
    color: var(--dark);
    text-decoration: none;
  }
  .pop-title:hover { color: var(--red); }

  /* ── FOOTER ─────────────────────────────────────── */
  .site-footer {
    background: var(--dark);
    color: #ccc;
    padding: 48px 0 0;
    font-size: 13px;
  }
  .site-footer h6 {
    color: #fff;
    font-weight: 700;
    text-transform: uppercase;
    letter-spacing: 1px;
    margin-bottom: 16px;
    font-size: 12px;
  }
  .site-footer a {
    color: #9ca3af;
    text-decoration: none;
    line-height: 2;
    display: block;
  }
  .site-footer a:hover { color: var(--red); }
  .footer-logo {
    font-family: var(--font-heading);
    font-size: 28px;
    font-weight: 900;
    color: #fff;
  }
  .footer-logo span { color: var(--red); }
  .footer-tagline { font-size: 12px; color: #6b7280; margin-bottom: 12px; }
  .footer-address { font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.8; color: #9ca3af; }
  .footer-social a {
    display: inline-flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    width: 36px; height: 36px;
    border-radius: 50%;
    background: #1f2937;
    color: #fff;
    font-size: 15px;
    margin-right: 6px;
    transition: background .2s;
  }
  .footer-social a:hover { background: var(--red); }
  .footer-bottom {
    background: #0a0a0a;
    color: #4b5563;
    font-size: 12px;
    padding: 14px 0;
    margin-top: 40px;
    text-align: center;
  }

  /* ── PLACEHOLDER IMAGES ─────────────────────────── */
  /* Using picsum for demo images */
  .img-placeholder { background: #e5e7eb; }

  /* ── HOVER utility ──────────────────────────────── */
  .overflow-hidden { overflow: hidden; }