Include events in main blog loop – with customized loop

I am using Zerif Lite which uses a custom blog loop on the home page.

I have ticked the box to include events in the blog loop in the settings menu of Event Calendar.

It is displaying blog posts but not events. Here is the code the theme uses:

<?php 

	global $wp_customize;

	$zerif_total_posts = get_option('posts_per_page'); /* number of latest posts to show */

	if( !empty($zerif_total_posts) && ($zerif_total_posts > 0) ):

		echo '<section class="latest-news" id="latestnews">';

			echo '<div class="container">';

				/* SECTION HEADER */

				echo '<div class="section-header">';

					$zerif_latestnews_title = get_theme_mod('zerif_latestnews_title');

					/* title */
					if( !empty($zerif_latestnews_title) ):

						echo '<h2 class="dark-text">' . esc_html( $zerif_latestnews_title ) . '</h2>';

					else:

						echo '<h2 class="dark-text">' . __('Latest news','zerif-lite') . '</h2>';

					endif;

					/* subtitle */
					$zerif_latestnews_subtitle = get_theme_mod('zerif_latestnews_subtitle');

					if( !empty($zerif_latestnews_subtitle) ):

						echo '<div class="dark-text section-legend">'.esc_html( $zerif_latestnews_subtitle ).'</div>';

					elseif ( isset( $wp_customize ) ):

						echo '<div class="dark-text section-legend zerif_hidden_if_not_customizer"></div>';

					endif;

				echo '</div><!-- END .section-header -->';

				echo '<div class="clear"></div>';

				echo '<div id="carousel-homepage-latestnews" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel">';

					/* Wrapper for slides */

					echo '<div class="carousel-inner" role="listbox">';

						$zerif_latest_loop = new WP_Query( array( 'post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => $zerif_total_posts, 'order' => 'DESC','ignore_sticky_posts' => true ) );

						$newSlideActive = '<div class="item active">';
						$newSlide 		= '<div class="item">';
						$newSlideClose 	= '<div class="clear"></div></div>';
						$i_latest_posts= 0;

						if ( $zerif_latest_loop->have_posts() ) :

							while ( $zerif_latest_loop->have_posts() ) : $zerif_latest_loop->the_post();

								$i_latest_posts++;

								if ( !wp_is_mobile() ){

										if($i_latest_posts == 1){
											echo $newSlideActive;
										}
										else if($i_latest_posts % 4 == 1){
											echo $newSlide;
										}

										echo '<div class="col-sm-3 latestnews-box">';

											echo '<div class="latestnews-img">';

												echo '<a class="latestnews-img-a" href="'.esc_url( get_permalink() ).'" title="'.esc_attr( get_the_title() ).'">';

													if ( has_post_thumbnail() ) :
														the_post_thumbnail();
													else:
														echo '<img src="'.esc_url( get_template_directory_uri() ).'/images/blank-latestposts.png" alt="'.esc_attr( get_the_title() ).'" />';
													endif; 

												echo '</a>';

											echo '</div>';

											echo '<div class="latesnews-content">';

												echo '<h3 class="latestnews-title"><a href="'.esc_url( get_permalink() ).'" title="'.esc_attr( get_the_title() ).'">'.esc_html( get_the_title() ).'</a></h3>';

												the_excerpt();

											echo '</div>';

										echo '</div><!-- .latestnews-box"> -->';

										/* after every four posts it must closing the '.item' */
										if($i_latest_posts % 4 == 0){
											echo $newSlideClose;
										}

								} else {

									if( $i_latest_posts == 1 ) $active = 'active'; else $active = ''; 

									echo '<div class="item '.$active.'">';
										echo '<div class="col-md-3 latestnews-box">';
											echo '<div class="latestnews-img">';
												echo '<a class="latestnews-img-a" href="'.get_permalink().'" title="'.get_the_title().'">';
													if ( has_post_thumbnail() ) :
														the_post_thumbnail();
													else:
														echo '<img src="'.esc_url( get_template_directory_uri() ).'/images/blank-latestposts.png" alt="'.esc_attr( get_the_title() ).'" />';
													endif;
												echo '</a>';
											echo '</div>';
											echo '<div class="latesnews-content">';
												echo '<h3 class="latestnews-title"><a href="'.esc_url( get_permalink() ).'" title="'.esc_attr( get_the_title() ).'">'.esc_html( get_the_title() ).'</a></h3>';
												the_excerpt();
											echo '</div>';
										echo '</div>';
									echo '</div>';
								}

							endwhile;

						endif;	

						if ( !wp_is_mobile() ) {

							// if there are less than 10 posts
							if($i_latest_posts % 4!=0){
								echo $newSlideClose;
							}

						}

						wp_reset_postdata(); 

					echo '</div><!-- .carousel-inner -->';

					/* Controls */
					echo '<a class="left carousel-control" href="#carousel-homepage-latestnews" role="button" data-slide="prev">';
						echo '<span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-left" aria-hidden="true"></span>';
						echo '<span class="sr-only">'.__('Previous','zerif-lite').'</span>';
					echo '</a>';
					echo '<a class="right carousel-control" href="#carousel-homepage-latestnews" role="button" data-slide="next">';
						echo '<span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></span>';
						echo '<span class="sr-only">'.__('Next','zerif-lite').'</span>';
					echo '</a>';
				echo '</div><!-- #carousel-homepage-latestnews -->';

			echo '</div><!-- .container -->';
		echo '</section>';

endif; ?>

Can anyone suggest what is causing events not to be included in this loop?

Thanks, Richard

https://ww.wp.xz.cn/plugins/the-events-calendar/