i found out the news reading the newspaper? should work

Can anyone tell me why this is 'la notizia', and not 'le notizie'?

I was failed for putting the singular in another question (the one about the news that someone had passed their exam, which to me is definitely a singular piece of news, rather than news in general).

If it was always plural I could understand that, but why is it singular in this question?

"I heard the news" should also work. especially since the hints give "heard" as a suggested translation for "saputo"

I've learned the news reading the newspaper should work too.

I was dinged for "I knew the news from reading the paper" and I don't think I was right, but I'd like some help. Found, learned, knew, discovered, etc. - all seem to be possible, alsong with many others. It also seems to me that "from reading" or "by reading" would be better than simply reading.

Sound like any world leaders we know?

So the word "news" is singular here, as opposed to elsewhere in this exercise where the insistence is that it be written as plural (e.g., "Le notizie sono piu recenti.")??? What is the rule? Is there one? Can anyone tell me? If no one can, perhaps someone can tell me why Italian grammar is so inconsistent?