The UK’s reputation has lost its lustre. Time for Lady Britannia to brush herself down, get out there and show off her assets – but what exactly are they?

Great Britain hasn’t seemed quite so great in recent years, its image damaged by unpopular wars and the banking crisis. But with the new coalition government bedded in and the Olympics on the horizon, experts from the fields of politics, culture, and academia tell us how Britannia can rebrand itself and rule the waves again.

In the world of politics, September is the start of a new term in many countries, so we’ve compiled our report cards for 15 leaders. Who has gone to the top of the class and who should be doing extra homework? We give marks for popularity and performance and dock points for bad behaviour.

The brief: to persuade Afghanis to take pride in their national army, to shun terrorism and to give up the narcotics trade. Not an easy task in a country where war has been raging for nine years and where the population is fragmented and mostly illiterate.

Warfare in the 21st century is as likely to be fought on computer screens as it is on battlefields. Monocle goes to Estonia to meet the web wizards preventing hackers and ‘cyber-jihadis’ from attacking Nato member states via the internet.

It’s the endless tables at the casinos that are attracting millions of Chinese to the former Portuguese colony. But will the authorities of what is now the world’s gambling Mecca take a fresh turn of the wheel and nurture its fledgling creative and tourism industries?

Strung out across Southeast Asia is a chain of restaurants where doll-like North Korean waitresses sing to diners as they sample the country’s cuisine (well, what’s left of it). Is it a benign culinary business foray or something altogether more sinister?

In the first of a new series of benchmark reports, Monocle puts the UK’s latest convenience store concept through its paces. Can Waitrose’s new baby live up to the standards of Japan’s kings of convenience?

It seems that every news presenter has a blog or Twitter feed – but post personal opinions at your peril. Monocle investigates the pleasures and sorrows of social media in the news.

Instead of investing in new designs and manufacturing processes, increasing numbers of design firms are raiding their archives. Monocle visits two companies to find out why they’re looking backwards not forward.

The first multi-brand fashion store in Seoul, Boon The Shop is the guiding light for a generation of affluent, trend-conscious Koreans. Monocle examines its success as it celebrates its first decade.

Why computers are not happy in Taiwan, and Japan's biggest technology firms join up to create a nuclear power mega-corp.

The cars, planes and (bicycle) that Britain's new PM David Cameron uses to get around, plus the Turkish soap stars winning the hearts of neighbouring Bulgarians.

Chile charges a new "fat tax," Peru moves into second place ofter Colombia as top coco leaf producer and MONOCLE reports from Washington's corridors of power.

The Brazilian elections and life after Lula

Angola has a stab at press freedom, Nigeria's internet speeds up and we look at the upcoming elections in Egypt and Libya

The image-savvy Dalai Lama is this month's style Leader, and we report on Russia's celebration of its Second World War victory over Japan.

Kiwi PM John Key gets foot-in-mouth disease and Fiji puts up a fight against Rupert Murdoch

The french army's new laser dubbed "the finger of death" and Spain's flight school for Afghan pilots.

TV screens at US petrol pumps, Iceland's PM-turned-newspaper editor and Australia vinyl resurgence.

Culture editor Robert Bound's column on the hilarity and banality of comments left by people on newspaper websites, as well as reviews on new books, films, and music,and previews of art exhibitions.

Everything that's new and noteworthy in fashion, including a sportswear line from Japanese brand Tools, and ties with a twist from UK label An English Hand.

Latest news, projects and products, from a museum makeover in Seoul to beautifully designed cement packaging in Croatia.

Solid economic growth and foreign investment have transformed Mozambique’s fortunes since the end of the civil war in 1992, but the big challenges lie in tackling the poverty and corruption that continue to block the capital’s path to prosperity.

Plastic surgeon Ivo Pitanguy has earned legendary status in Brazil, with his philosophy that good looks should be available to all, regardless of wealth or social standing. His pioneering techniques are still admired by surgeons all over the world.

A family business has been producing a simple niche product for five decades. By making the most of its employees’ expertise to constantly refine the “perfect” glass washer, it now sells to more than 50 countries.

A Q&A with Christie's Australian art specialist, plus the Muscovite gallery Regina moves into London's Fitzrovia.

This ethical investment firm in Geneva based the design of its office on the grand old banks. The dark decor draws the eye to a view of the lake and provides a welcoming space in which to earn your daily keep.

Make a triumphant return to the office after your summer break by combining classic British and Italian tailoring with some modern flourishes. Monocle selects elegant jackets and shirts for men and women.

This month’s treats include iced coffee from Japan, Moroccan wine and dog food that sounds so tasty you’ll want to eat it.

The latest opening in Hyatt’s chain of boutique hotels is a rare beast – a friendly and relaxing NYC establishment where even native New Yorkers will be able to experience a fresh take on their city.

A thriving family-run airline, Kenmore Air has flown to the islands of the Pacific Northwest since it was founded in 1946.

This month our selection of destinations includes a French countryside retreat, a Norwegian bakery on the Med, a New York-style café in Paris and an egg-obsessed restaurant in Singapore.

Set on the spectacular Ligurian coast against a backdrop of olive-groved mountains, the traditional fishing town of Camogli, about 20km from Genoa, is now attracting writers, artists and intellectuals escaping from the city for the weekend.

Seattle-born Cynthia Barcomi opened her first café in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighbourhood in the 1990s. Since then, her coffee, cakes and bagels have become a local legend. She takes us on a tour of the district’s best bakeries and food shops.

Yorkshireman John Pawson is an architect and designer who has lived in Japan and is known for his stripped-back designs. For his last meal he chooses a seven-course meal at a Japanese restaurant in London’s Piccadilly.

Within some states of the US there is an increasing sense of belligerent unrest among the right-wing – over half of polled Republicans believe the president is a Muslim who wants to diminish the nation’s sovereignty. Zed Nelson travelled the length of the Rio Grande, from Colorado’s San Juan Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas – the heartland of gun-toting patriotism.

Who needs Twitter when you’ve got a network of shops around the world? Our retail outlets are proving to be better forums for debate than any social network – a case in point is the great response we’ve received to our newspaper edition, says Tyler Brûlé.