/* ============================================================
   MEBL – Stories Page Styles
   ============================================================ */


    /* ── Hero ─────────────────────────────────────────── */
    .stories-hero {
      position: relative;
      height: 100vh;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      overflow: hidden;
      color: white;
    }
    .stories-hero-video {
      position: absolute;
      inset: 0;
      width: 100%;
      height: 100%;
      object-fit: cover;
      z-index: 0;
    }
    .stories-hero-overlay {
      position: absolute;
      inset: 0;
      background: linear-gradient(to top, rgba(0,0,0,0.85) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.45) 50%, rgba(0,0,0,0.3) 100%);
      z-index: 1;
    }
    .stories-hero-content {
      position: relative;
      z-index: 2;
      /* sits above video + overlay */
      padding: 2rem;
      max-width: 1000px;
      width: 100%;
      margin: 0 auto;
      text-align: center;
    }
    .stories-hero-eyebrow {
      font-size: 0.75rem;
      font-weight: 800;
      letter-spacing: 0.25em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--secondary-color);
      margin-bottom: 1.25rem;
    }
    .stories-hero-title {
      font-size: 5.5rem;
      font-weight: 900;
      line-height: 0.92;
      letter-spacing: -0.03em;
      margin-bottom: 2rem;
    }
    .stories-hero-desc {
      font-size: 1.1rem;
      opacity: 0.75;
      max-width: 520px;
      line-height: 1.65;
      margin: 0 auto;
    }

    /* ── Story panels ──────────────────────────────────── */
    .stories-list { background: #fff; }

    .story-panel {
      display: grid;
      grid-template-columns: 55% 45%;
      min-height: 600px;
      position: relative;
    }
    .story-panel:nth-child(even) {
      grid-template-columns: 45% 55%;
    }
    .story-panel:nth-child(even) .story-img-col { order: 2; }
    .story-panel:nth-child(even) .story-content-col { order: 1; }

    .story-img-col {
      overflow: hidden;
      position: relative;
    }
    .story-img-col img {
      width: 100%;
      height: 100%;
      object-fit: cover;
      display: block;
      transition: transform 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.25,0.46,0.45,0.94);
    }
    .story-panel:hover .story-img-col img { transform: scale(1.05); }

    .story-img-col::after {
      content: '';
      position: absolute;
      inset: 0;
      background: linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(16,65,97,0.18) 0%, transparent 60%);
      pointer-events: none;
    }

    .story-content-col {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      justify-content: center;
      padding: 5rem 4.5rem;
      gap: 1.5rem;
      position: relative;
    }
    .story-panel:nth-child(odd) .story-content-col { background: #fff; }
    .story-panel:nth-child(even) .story-content-col { background: #f7f5f2; }

    .story-number {
      font-size: 7rem;
      font-weight: 900;
      line-height: 1;
      color: rgba(16,65,97,0.07);
      letter-spacing: -0.04em;
      user-select: none;
      position: absolute;
      top: 1rem;
      right: 3rem;
    }

    .story-category-tag {
      display: inline-flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 6px;
      font-size: 0.7rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      letter-spacing: 0.2em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      padding: 5px 14px;
      border-radius: 100px;
    }
    .cat-people  { background: #fff3e4; color: #b85c00; }
    .cat-process { background: #e8f0f6; color: var(--primary-color); }
    .cat-place   { background: #edf5ed; color: #2e7d32; }

    .story-title {
      font-size: 2.1rem;
      font-weight: 900;
      line-height: 1.2;
      color: var(--primary-color);
      letter-spacing: -0.02em;
    }

    .story-divider {
      width: 40px;
      height: 3px;
      background: var(--secondary-color);
      border-radius: 2px;
    }

    .story-excerpt {
      font-size: 1rem;
      line-height: 1.8;
      color: #666;
      max-width: 400px;
    }

    .story-read-more {
      display: inline-flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 0.5rem;
      font-size: 1rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      letter-spacing: 0.12em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: var(--secondary-color);
      text-decoration: none;
      transition: gap 0.2s ease;
      margin-top: 0.5rem;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
    }
    .story-read-more:hover { gap: 0.85rem; }
    .story-read-more .arrow {
      width: 28px;
      height: 28px;
      border: 2px solid var(--secondary-color);
      border-radius: 50%;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      font-size: 0.85rem;
      flex-shrink: 0;
      transition: background 0.2s, color 0.2s;
      padding-top: 3px;
      padding-left: 2px;

    }
    .story-read-more:hover .arrow {
      background: var(--secondary-color);
      color: #fff;
    }

    /* ── Separator line ──────────────────────────────── */
    .story-panel + .story-panel {
      border-top: 1px solid #ebebeb;
    }

    /* ── Responsive ──────────────────────────────────── */
    @media screen and (max-width: 900px) {
      .story-panel,
      .story-panel:nth-child(even) {
        grid-template-columns: 1fr;
      }
      .story-panel:nth-child(even) .story-img-col,
      .story-panel:nth-child(even) .story-content-col {
        order: unset;
      }
      .story-img-col { min-height: 320px; }
      .story-content-col { padding: 3rem 2rem; }
      .story-number { font-size: 4rem; top: 1.5rem; right: 1.5rem; }
      .story-title { font-size: 1.6rem; }
      .stories-hero-title { font-size: 4rem; }
      .stories-hero-content { padding: 3rem 2rem; }
    }
    @media screen and (max-width: 480px) {
      .stories-hero-title { font-size: 3rem; }
      .story-title { font-size: 1.4rem; }
    }