What:
This issue tracks the update of the Python base image used in the project's Dockerfile from 3.12-slim-bullseye to 3.13-slim-bullseye. This change is crucial for maintaining an up-to-date and secure development environment, allowing the project to leverage the latest language features and performance improvements offered by Python 3.13.

Why:
Updating to Python 3.13 provides several benefits:

• Latest Features: Access to new syntax, built-in functions, and library improvements in Python 3.13.
• Performance Enhancements: Potential speedups due to optimizations introduced in the new Python version.
• Security Updates: Ensures the project is built on a base image that includes the most recent security patches, reducing vulnerability risks.
• Future Compatibility: Aligns the project with the latest stable Python release, preparing for future dependencies and best practices.

Acceptance Criteria:

• The project's Dockerfile is successfully updated to specify python:3.13-slim-bullseye as its base image.
• The application and its dependencies build without errors using the new Python 3.13 base image in the CI/CD pipeline.
• All existing automated test suites (unit, integration, and end-to-end tests) pass successfully, confirming no regressions or breaking changes were introduced by the Python version bump.
• A scan or review confirms that the base image update does not introduce new critical or high-severity vulnerabilities.