Oil prices rise on Venezuela protests, strong Asian demand

By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Thursday, lifted by concerns over Venezuela's stability as well as by firm demand in Asia, although doubts over OPEC's ability to organise a coordinated production cut still weighed on markets. International Brent crude oil futures were trading at $50.18 per barrel at 0655 GMT on Thursday, up 20 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last close. Traders said concerns over political stability in Venezuela, a major oil producer, had lifted m