Incorrect: The news are too good to be true.
Correct: The news is too good to be true.

Incorrect: Politics are a dirty game.
Correct: Politics is a dirty game.

Some nouns are plural in form, but singular in meaning. They should be followed by singular verbs. Examples are: news, politics, maths, measles etc.

Incorrect: A thousand dollars are not a small sum.
Correct: A thousand dollars is not a small sum.

Incorrect: A thousand dollars was distributed among the prize winners.
Correct: A thousand dollars were distributed among the prize winners.

When the subject is a sum of money considered as a whole, the singular verb is used. When the subject is a sum of money and the reference is to the bills or coins considered separately, the plural verb is used.

Incorrect: Neither the officer nor his assistants was present at the meeting.
Correct: Neither the officer nor his assistants were present at the meeting.

When the subjects connected by or or nor are of different numbers, the plural subject should be written last and it should be followed by a plural verb.

Incorrect: Neither you nor Tom seem to be capable of doing this.
Correct: Neither you nor Tom seems to be capable of doing this.

When the subjects connected by or or nor are of different persons, the verb should agree in person with the subject nearest to it. Note that the subjects should be arranged in the proper order – the person spoken to, first; the person spoken of, second; and the speaker, last.