/* Ensure the item wrapper container handles columns horizontally */
.vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block-wrapper {
    display: flex !important;
    flex-direction: row !important;
    align-items: stretch !important;
    width: 100% !important;
}

/* Lock the Image Container to 40% wide and drop height to prevent a square shape */
.vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block {
    width: 40% !important;
    min-width: 40% !important;
    flex: 0 0 40% !important;
    height: 130px !important; /* Shorter height forces a wide landscape ratio */
    position: relative !important;
    margin: 0 !important;
}

/* Strip out the vertical padding override loops */
.vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block .vc_gitem-zone-a {
    position: absolute !important;
    top: 0 !important;
    left: 0 !important;
    width: 100% !important;
    height: 100% !important;
    padding-top: 0 !important; 
    padding-bottom: 0 !important;
}

/* Force the image file to stay wide and fill the container cleanly */
.vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block img {
    width: 100% !important;
    max-width: 100% !important;
    height: 100% !important;
    max-height: 100% !important;
    object-fit: cover !important;
    position: absolute !important;
    top: 0 !important;
    left: 0 !important;
}

/* Adjust the Text Box to fill the remaining 60% */
.vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-zone-c {
    width: 60% !important;
    min-width: 60% !important;
    flex: 0 0 60% !important;
    padding-left: 15px !important; /* Slight padding so text doesn't hit the image */
    box-sizing: border-box !important;
    display: flex !important;
    flex-direction: column !important;
    justify-content: center !important; 
}

/* Mobile Optimization: Stack cleanly back to single items on mobile screens */
@media (max-width: 767px) {
    .vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block-wrapper {
        flex-direction: column !important;
    }
    .vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block,
    .vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-zone-c {
        width: 100% !important;
        min-width: 100% !important;
        flex: 0 0 100% !important;
    }
    .vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-animated-block {
        height: 200px !important;
    }
    .vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-zone-c {
        padding-left: 0 !important;
        padding-top: 15px !important;
    }
}
/* Truncate the excerpt block to exactly 5 lines */
.vc_grid-container .vc_gitem-zone-c .vc_gitem-post-data-source-post_excerpt {
    display: -webkit-box !important;
    -webkit-line-clamp: 5 !important; /* Locks the text to a maximum of 5 lines */
    -webkit-box-orient: vertical !important;
    overflow: hidden !important;
    text-overflow: ellipsis !important;
    line-height: 1.4 !important;      /* Sets comfortable reading line spacing */
    max-height: 7.0em !important;     /* Math: line-height (1.4) multiplied by lines (5) */
}