.news-banner-section {
    padding: 60px 0;
    width: 100vw;
    max-width: 100vw;
    margin-left: calc(50% - 50vw);
    margin-right: calc(50% - 50vw);
    background-color: transparent;
    position: relative;
    z-index: 5; /* Ensure above global glow/overlay */
}

.news-banner-container {
    width: 90%;
    max-width: 1400px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    display: flex;
    gap: 30px;
    position: relative;
    z-index: 10;
}

/* Glassmorphism Split Cards */
.split-card {
    flex: 1;
    aspect-ratio: 16/9; /* Smart ratio for full image/video fit */
    background: rgba(15, 6, 28, 0.5);
    border: 2px solid #00f6fe; /* Stronger cyan border */
    border-radius: 20px;
    box-shadow: 0 0 20px rgba(0, 246, 254, 0.6), inset 0 0 20px rgba(0, 246, 254, 0.2); /* Clearer cyan glow */
    backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
    position: relative;
    transition: all 0.4s ease;
}

.split-card::before {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    inset: -2px;
    border-radius: 20px;
    padding: 2px;
    background: linear-gradient(45deg, #00f5ff, #7b5cff, #ff4a3f); 
    z-index: 0;
    opacity: 0;
    transition: opacity 0.4s ease;
    -webkit-mask: linear-gradient(#000 0 0) content-box, linear-gradient(#000 0 0);
    mask: linear-gradient(#000 0 0) content-box, linear-gradient(#000 0 0);
    -webkit-mask-composite: xor;
    mask-composite: exclude;
    pointer-events: none;
}

.split-card:hover {
    border-color: transparent;
    box-shadow: 0 0 30px rgba(123, 92, 255, 0.6); /* Brighter hover glow matching course cards */
    transform: translateY(-5px);
}

.split-card:hover::before {
    opacity: 1;
}

/* Slider Track */
.slider-track {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    position: relative;
    border-radius: 18px; /* Fit inside the 20px border */
    overflow: hidden; /* Moved here so the outer glow isn't clipped */
    z-index: 1; /* Keep track above the border glow */
}

/* Base Slide */
.slide {
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    opacity: 0;
    visibility: hidden;
    /* transition removed to allow clean entry animations */
}

.slide.active {
    opacity: 1;
    visibility: visible;
    transition: none; /* Let the keyframe animation handle the incoming effect */
    z-index: 2; /* Ensure the incoming slide sits on top of the outgoing slide */
}

.slide.active-prev {
    opacity: 1;
    visibility: visible;
    z-index: 1; /* Keep the old slide behind the new one so we don't see the background */
    transition: none;
}

/* Slide Content */
.slide img,
.slide video,
.slide iframe {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    object-fit: fill; /* Stretches the image exactly to the card sizes */
    display: block;
    background-color: transparent;
}

.empty-slide-state {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    height: 100%;
    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5);
    font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', sans-serif;
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    font-weight: 600;
}

/* Responsive adjustments */
@media (max-width: 992px) {
    .news-banner-container {
        flex-direction: column;
    }
    .split-card {
        aspect-ratio: 16/9;
        width: 100%;
    }
}