If I wanted to use a browser with a steadily dwindling feature set, I'd use Gnome's Epiphany. Or Edge. Thanks upthread for the tip on Waterfox, looks like something worth checking out. As for news readers, unfortunately I'm one of those few particularly unimaginative types who gets confused by its interface. Not that it would matter, since it runs like molasses on my "budget" Moto E from 2015 (yes, old and _cheap_ UNIX guy here).