A lemma on extending functions into \(F\)-spaces and homomorphisms between Stone-Čech remainders (Q1575041)

Continuous extensions onto \(\beta S\) of continuous homomorphisms from ideals in \(\beta S\) (\(S\) is a discrete semigroup) into compact right topological semigroups are investigated. Two of many consequences: (1) If \(\varphi:H^*\to G^*\) is a continuous homomorphism (\(G,H\) are discrete groups) and \(\varphi(H^*)\) is not nowhere dense in \(G^*\), then \(\varphi\) is an extension of a homomorphism \(H\to G\); (2) Every continuous injective homomorphism \(\beta S\to \beta G\) (\(S\) is a cancellative discrete semigroup, \(G\) is a countable group) is the extension of an injective homomorphism \(S\to G\). Proofs use the following useful result: If \(f,g:X\to Y\) are continuous, \(X\) is countably compact Hausdorff, \(Y\) is a compact Hausdorff \(F\)-space, then \(\{x\in X: f(x)\neq g(x)\}\) is countably compact.