so, let me make it easy to understand. Please correct me if I am wrong.
"affect" is used when some property is assigned to some object?!!
EX: This news will probably affect everyone
-> "this news" gives "everyone" some "characteristics/properties" of "the news" that "everyone" has never had before

"effect" is used when some object did not come to existen before, now it does
EX: He claimed to have the ability to effect rain
"rain" did not happen, not until the action from the "ability" that "he" claims