News

We use the uncountable noun news to mean ‘information or reports about recent events’. It takes a singular verb:

The news is good about Mary. The doctors are very happy about her progress.
Not: ~~The news are good about Mary~~.
Do you have any news of your sister? How is she these days?
I’ve got some news for you – I’m getting married!
Not: ~~I’ve got a news for you~~ …

If we want to talk about news as an individual thing, we can use bit of, piece of or item of (more formal):

I heard a couple of interesting pieces of news the other day about the company’s plans for expansion.
An item of news caught her eye in the newspaper. It was about a child who was missing.

We say the news when we refer to the television or radio programme that gives reports of recent events: